AG Campbell Seeks Court Enforcement of Order Blocking Medicaid Data Sharing with ICE

MA Attorney General Press Releases

Filed March 27th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has asked a federal court to enforce a preliminary injunction that blocks U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from obtaining and using Medicaid recipient data. The AG's office alleges that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shared a large dataset with ICE despite a court order protecting data of lawfully residing individuals.

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What changed

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell has filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to enforce a preliminary injunction. This action stems from allegations that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shared a substantial dataset of Medicaid recipient information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), potentially violating a prior court order that restricted such data sharing for individuals lawfully residing in the United States. The motion seeks to compel HHS to explain the nature and use of the shared data and to reinforce the existing injunction.

This enforcement action requires immediate attention from compliance officers overseeing data privacy and immigration-related compliance. The AG's office is holding the administration accountable for actions targeting immigrant communities, highlighting the potential for fear and disenrollment from essential health services. Compliance teams should review their data sharing agreements and protocols related to sensitive health information, particularly concerning interactions with immigration enforcement agencies, to ensure adherence to court orders and legal protections for individuals residing lawfully in the U.S. Failure to comply with such injunctions could lead to further legal challenges and reputational damage.

What to do next

Review data sharing agreements with federal agencies concerning Medicaid recipient data.
Ensure adherence to court orders restricting the sharing of health data with immigration enforcement.
Document any data shared with ICE and the justification for such sharing.

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- Office of the Attorney General

Press Release

AG Campbell Asks Court To Enforce Order Blocking HHS From Sharing Large Swaths Of Medicaid Data With ICE

For immediate release: 3/27/2026
- Office of the Attorney General

Boston — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to enforce its preliminary injunction blocking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from obtaining and using the data of Medicaid recipients who are lawfully residing in the United States.

The coalition’s recent communications with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicate that HHS shared with ICE a “a large and complex data set” of Medicaid recipient data, even though the Court unambiguously held that much Medicaid data, including that of citizens and lawful permanent residents, is “off limits.” The exact contents of this data set are unclear. In filing its motion to enforce, the coalition asks the court to enforce its original order that bars HHS from sharing federal healthcare data of individuals lawfully residing in the U.S., and to require the federal government to explain what data HHS has shared with ICE and how ICE is using the data.

“Even though the court made clear that the Trump Administration cannot disclose lawful residents’ private health data to ICE, the federal government appears to have recklessly ignored key parts of this directive,” said AG Campbell. “We’re going back into court to hold this Administration accountable for its cruel and unlawful actions that target immigrant communities and harm our residents.”

Created in 1965, Medicaid is an essential source of health insurance for lower-income individuals and particular underserved population groups, including children, pregnant women, individuals with disabilities, and seniors. The Medicaid program allows each participating state to develop and administer its own unique health plans; states must meet threshold federal statutory criteria, but they can tailor their plans’ eligibility standards and coverage options to residents’ needs. As of January 2025, 78.4 million people were enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) nationwide.

On July 1, 2025, AG Campbell and a multistate coalition filed a lawsui t against the Trump Administration arguing that HHS's mass transfer of Medicaid data to ICE violates the law and asking the court to block any new transfer or use of this data for immigration enforcement purposes. The lawsuit highlighted that the Trump Administration’s illegal actions are creating fear and confusion leading noncitizens and their family members to disenroll, or refuse to enroll, in emergency Medicaid for which they are otherwise eligible, leaving states and their safety net hospitals to foot the bill for federally mandated emergency healthcare services.

In a limited preliminary injunction order, the court allowed some data transfers, but enjoined ICE’s broader efforts to obtain sensitive health data; data of citizens, lawful permanent residents, and others residing lawfully in the U.S.; and data from other CMS administered health programs.

In filing this motion, AG Campbell joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Kentucky.