Controversy Over ICE Attempt to Access Medicare

• Controversy over ICE attempt to access Medicare.
• Reported by La Nación.
• Full details below.

In a move that has raised serious ethical and legal concerns, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requested access to one of the federal health system’s most sensitive databases: the Medicare repository.

The request, reportedly made in coordination with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed to obtain mailing addresses of undocumented immigrants.

Despite the fact that the health program does not cover individuals without legal immigration status.

According to an investigation by the Washington Post, ICE asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to compare Social Security numbers of certain immigrants against the system known as the Integrated Data Repository.

This database was created for the purposes of fraud control and public policy—not to locate individuals or support immigration enforcement.

Controversy Looms: Is It Legal for ICE to Use Medical Data for Deportations?

🚨BREAKING: ICE and DOGE want Medicare’s data to find undocumented folks using fake Social Security numbers for benefits (save taxpayer dollars): pic.twitter.com/55q7th35fb

– Trump News (@republicanvault) April 19, 2025

Accessing health data for immigration purposes has sparked concern among both current and former health officials.

Experts warn that attempting to cross-check this data undermines privacy principles and could violate federal laws.

“I would be surprised if they found many cases in that database involving undocumented individuals,” said Jack Hoadley, emeritus professor of health policy at Georgetown University.

Medicare serves people over 65, those with disabilities, or serious illnesses.

By law, undocumented immigrants are excluded from the system. Even legal residents must meet strict requirements for residency and work history to qualify.

What Is ICE Looking for in a Database That Shouldn’t Include Undocumented Immigrants?

🇺🇸 ICE and DOGE seek access to Medicare database to track undocumented immigrants and curb government waste, sparking privacy concerns, Fox News reports on April 18, 2025. https://t.co/VHSW622NVs

– Seven News (@sevendotnews) April 18, 2025

The rationale behind the request has been strongly questioned. With more than 68 million registered beneficiaries, the Medicare database should not contain information on undocumented individuals that would be of interest to ICE.

Still, the government justifies the move as a way to “protect citizen benefits.”

Spokesperson Kush Desai defended the process, stating that the goal is to prevent “illegals from receiving benefits intended for law-abiding citizens.”

However, the lack of evidence of fraud in this area reinforces the perception that this is more about surveillance than protecting the healthcare system.

DOGE: The Technological Arm of Immigration Surveillance?

ICE & DOGE sought Medicare data to find undocumented immigrants & check benefit claims. CMS reviewing request for access to database with personal info & addresses. https://t.co/0p5npdamog

– Faytuks Network (@faytuksnetwork) April 18, 2025

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk, has played an increasingly prominent role in President Donald Trump’s efforts to obtain confidential data from various agencies.

According to court documents, three DOGE engineers obtained read-only access to the Medicare database at the end of March, though access was later revoked for two of them.

No public explanation was given for the decision.

This attempt is not isolated. DOGE has also sought immigration data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), focusing on families with mixed-status members.

In addition, at the Social Security Administration, the government ordered 6,000 living immigrants to be marked as deceased—a move reportedly aimed at forcing them to leave the country, according to official sources.

Controversy Over ICE Attempt to Access Medicare

The use of federal databases for immigration purposes marks a new chapter in Trump’s border control policy.

While the administration claims its goal is to protect resources, critics fear an erosion of fundamental rights, especially in sensitive areas like health and privacy.

It remains unclear whether CMS will hand the requested data over to ICE, but the controversy is already in full swing.

The line between national security and mass surveillance appears increasingly blurred.

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