A federal judge in California issued a temporary injunction ordering the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to stop giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to the personal information of Medicaid enrollees for immigration enforcement purposes.

The extraordinary data-sharing arrangement — which included names, Social Security numbers and home addresses — was first disclosed in June when HHS turned over information from several states, including California. In July, federal officials expanded the agreement to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with daily access to the full national Medicaid database.

The policy immediately sparked alarm from physicians, privacy advocates and immigrant communities. In response, 20 states, including California, Arizona, Washington and New York, filed suit, arguing that the disclosures violated patient confidentiality, undermined trust in the health care system, and risked deterring people from seeking care.

In his ruling, Judge Vince Chhabria wrote that “using CMS data for immigration enforcement threatens to significantly disrupt the operation of Medicaid — a program that Congress has deemed critical for the provision of health coverage to the nation’s most vulnerable residents.” His order blocks the data transfers until HHS can demonstrate a “reasoned decisionmaking” process to justify the policy.

The California Medical Association (CMA) and other health care organizations had previously condemned the move, warning that using Medicaid data for immigration enforcement is a grave breach of trust that could endanger public health.

“Patients must be able to seek medical care without fear that their personal information will be used against them,” said CMA President Shannon Udovic-Constant, M.D. “Sharing Medicaid data with deportation officials not only undermines trust in the health care system, it jeopardizes the health and safety of entire communities.”

Medicaid, which is jointly funded by state and federal governments, provides health coverage for low-income children, families, seniors and people with disabilities. Physicians and advocates warn that the chilling effect of this policy could prevent patients from seeking lifesaving emergency services.

“Our job is not protecting borders — it’s protecting patients. Sharing sensitive Medicaid information with deportation officials will devastate families and communities,” said CMA President-Elect René Bravo, M.D. “This isn’t an immigration issue; it’s a human one.”

CMA will continue to monitor the litigation and advocate for strong protections to ensure patient privacy, safeguard immigrant families and preserve trust in California’s health care system.