Context
The law prohibits sharing personal information with immigration officials about people who use government-funded health or social services. But under the Trump administration, the Department Of Government Efficiency and the Department of Homeland Security have sought access to data from federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Recently, it has become clear that the Trump administration is seeking personally identifiable data from state Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program agencies and from localities running state-funded programs as well. This approach to gathering data is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to make immigrants and their family members afraid to participate in programs that they or their children are eligible for, and to encourage them to leave the US.
Advocates are concerned that information may sometimes be shared with immigration enforcement, even if that’s against the law.
Materials
PIF and partners have developed a one-page factsheet for community members as well as a detailed table for advocates on the federal laws, regulations and guidance that protect the personal information that immigrant families provide to public benefits agencies. Many resources are designed to be easily edited and customized to your audiences.
