A federal judge has ruled that the US Department of Health and Human Services can resume sharing some Medicaid data with deportation officers. This decision, made by US District Judge Vince Chhabria, will allow the agency to share basic biographical information about immigrants living in the US illegally with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
The sharing of Medicaid data with deportation officials had been blocked by the judge in August, but he has now ruled that it is "clearly authorized by law and the agencies have adequately explained their decisions." However, the judge has also imposed strict limits on the scope of data that can be shared, and the agency is not allowed to give detailed, sensitive medical information about enrollees to the Department of Homeland Security or ICE.
This decision is a blow to states that had sued the administration over privacy concerns, and it is likely to be the subject of ongoing controversy and debate.