Well, this is certainly different – a federal court has actually ruled in favor of the Trump administration, handing down a decision Monday that will allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to use Medicaid data to track down and deport illegal aliens starting January 6.
The ruling comes after 22 blue states, led by California, sued the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) back in July, arguing that the administration's mass transfer of Medicaid data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) illegally exposed confidential health information, including immigration status. The lawsuit was filed after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., authorized a data transfer from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to DHS back in June.
In his decision, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria, an Obama appointee, partially granted and partially denied a motion for preliminary injunction in the blue state lawsuit over the Trump administration’s policy of sharing Medicaid data with DHS and ICE. Judge Chhabria ruled that ICE officials would be able to obtain six specific categories of personal information on Medicaid recipients, including address, citizenship, immigration status, phone number, date of birth, and Medicaid ID.
“The sharing of such information is clearly authorized by law and the agencies have adequately explained their decisions,” Chhabria wrote in the seven-page order. “Beyond the basic information discussed above, the policies are totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decision-making process."
⚖️ In State of California v. HHS (IRS and Medicaid sharing for immigration enforcement), Judge Vince Chhabria (Northern District of California) GRANTS plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction in part and DENIES it in part.https://t.co/15Z1wHziv1
— Susie Moore ⚾️🌻🐶 (@SmoosieQ) December 29, 2025
However, the court also ruled that the Trump administration was using vague language when it came to other categories of information it wanted to access for deportation purposes. Judge Chhabria noted that the government had not adequately explained what additional information it might want to share with ICE, why it would be needed, or what safeguards might be used to ensure other data wasn't improperly accessed or utilized.
“Beyond the basic information discussed above, the policies are totally unclear and do not appear to be the product of a coherent decisionmaking process,” Chhabria wrote.
As a result, Judge Chhabria concluded that the vagueness of the policy could be seen as “arbitrary and capricious,” and preliminarily enjoined the administration from sharing or using any Medicaid data obtained from the blue states outside the stated six categories.
If you find yourself asking why illegals are able to enroll for Medicaid benefits, here's your answer:
California and other blue states — Illinois, Colorado, New York, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, as well as Washington, D.C. — allow some people to receive state-funded benefits through their Medicaid implementation programs regardless of immigration status.
The big loser here is California's Democrat attorney general, Rob Bonta, who led the blue state effort to shield illegals from having their data shared with federal law enforcement officials. And the plaintiffs are not one bit pleased with Monday's ruling – a spokesperson for the California Department of Justice said the Trump administration was violating the trust illegals placed in the health system.
“The Trump Administration’s effort to use Medicaid data for immigration enforcement is a violation of their trust and will lead to fewer people seeking vital healthcare,” they said in a statement.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, however, is celebrating the win, calling it “a victory for the rule of law and American taxpayers.”
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code MERRY74 to receive 74% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member