AG Clark Seeks Enforcement of Order Blocking HHS Medicaid Data Sharing with ICE

AG: Vermont Press Releases

Filed March 27th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

The Vermont Attorney General, as part of a multistate coalition, has asked a federal court to enforce a preliminary injunction blocking ICE from obtaining Medicaid recipient data from HHS. The coalition alleges HHS shared a large data set despite a court order protecting such information, and seeks confirmation of the order's scope and an explanation of data sharing practices.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Vermont Attorney General's office, alongside a multistate coalition, has filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to enforce a preliminary injunction. This injunction previously blocked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from obtaining and using sensitive Medicaid recipient data. The coalition alleges that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has shared a "large and complex data set" with ICE, potentially violating the court's order, which explicitly stated that much Medicaid data, including that of citizens and lawful permanent residents, is protected.

The motion seeks to confirm that the court's original order covers all individuals lawfully residing in the U.S. and demands that the federal government explain what data has been shared and how ICE is utilizing it. This action stems from a prior lawsuit filed in July 2025, which argued that the mass transfer of Medicaid data to ICE violates the law and creates fear among noncitizens, leading to disenrollment from essential health services. Compliance officers should note the ongoing legal battle over sensitive health data sharing between federal agencies and its implications for patient privacy and trust in public health programs.

What to do next

Review internal policies regarding data sharing with federal immigration agencies.
Monitor court proceedings related to the enforcement motion.
Assess potential impact of data sharing on patient trust and program enrollment.

Source document (simplified)

Attorney General Clark Asks Court to Enforce Order Blocking HHS from Sharing Large Swaths of Medicaid Data with ICE

Press Releases March 27, 2026 Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a multistate coalition asking 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 also asks the court to confirm the scope of its original order includes all individuals lawfully residing in the U.S. and require the federal government to explain what data has been shared by HHS, and how ICE is using the data.

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, the coalition filed a lawsuit 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 other s residing lawfully in the U.S.; and data from other CMS administered health programs.

In filing this motion, Attorney General Clark joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the Governor of Kentucky.

A copy of the motion is available on our website.

CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171