Draft County Federal Agenda Opposes Sharing Medicaid Patient Data with ICE

Article Summary: A proposed federal policy platform presented to the Will County Board takes a hard line against a federal agreement that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to access the personal data of Medicaid enrollees, citing privacy concerns.

ICE/Medicaid Key Points:

• The Document: This stance is included in the draft Federal Legislative Agenda, which defines the county’s official positions on federal policy for the coming year.

• The Issue: The county opposes an agreement between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

• Data at Risk: The agreement potentially allows ICE to access personal data of Medicaid enrollees, including names, addresses, and ethnicities.

• County Stance: The draft agenda states the county “does not support the agreement,” arguing it poses serious privacy violations.

Will County’s Legislative Committee has recommended a firm stance on patient privacy, including a provision in the draft 2026 Federal Legislative Agenda that formally opposes federal data-sharing practices that could expose Medicaid patients to immigration enforcement.

The Federal Legislative Agenda is a strategic document that directs the county’s lobbyists in Washington D.C. The draft presented to the board on Thursday highlights a concern regarding an agreement between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to the document, this agreement allows ICE to access personal data—including names, addresses, and ethnicities—of Medicaid enrollees.

“This poses serious concerns about privacy violations and reduced health care services,” the draft agenda states.

The text argues that such data sharing creates a “significant administrative burden” and challenges the system’s ability to meet the health needs of the nation’s most vulnerable, who may avoid seeking medical help out of fear of deportation. The full agenda is currently under review by the committee following a delay on Thursday regarding unrelated housing language.