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California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with attorneys general from 19 other states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday for sharing sensitive Medicaid data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The lawsuit, submitted in the Northern District of California, claims that the transfer of personal health information, including immigration status, violates privacy protections.
The data, shared last month, includes details from Medicaid recipients in California, Illinois, Washington, and Washington, D.C. According to NPR, this information was directed to DHS by top Health and Human Services officials. The lawsuit aims to prevent the use of this data for immigration enforcement and seeks the destruction of any unlawfully disclosed information.
Attorney General Bonta stated, "The Trump Administration has upended longstanding privacy protections with its decision to illegally share sensitive, personal health data with ICE." He expressed concern that this action could deter individuals from seeking necessary medical care.
The Department of Health and Human Services defended the data transfer as legal, stating it is part of an effort to prevent misuse of Medicaid funds. However, the lawsuit argues that the data sharing could lead to population surveillance and privacy violations. The case is set against the backdrop of recent Senate-approved cuts to Medicaid, part of President Trump's domestic policy bill.
Joining California in the lawsuit are states including Arizona, Colorado, and New York, among others. The outcome of this legal challenge could impact how federal agencies handle sensitive data in the future.