The situation surrounding Medicaid remains tense in the United States. Now, three states that protected this insurance are making cuts. Medicaid is an insurance program intended for low-income people, including a percentage of undocumented immigrants. California (through Medi-Cal), Illinois, and Minnesota will stop offering services to undocumented immigrants. This all comes after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
There is a proposal on the table that says that starting in July 2027
We remind you that Medicaid is nationwide, but regulated by states. In California, as is known, it is governed by Medi-Cal. This insurance will stop accepting new applicants from undocumented individuals starting in 2026. In addition, there is a proposal on the table that says that starting in July 2027, those under 60 years of age, whether or not they have legal status, will have to pay a monthly fee of $30 to maintain their coverage.
Meanwhile, in Illinois, undocumented immigrants between the ages of 42 and 64 will be excluded from the system altogether. In Minnesota, all undocumented immigrants will be excluded, completely excluded from the state’s public health program. These decisions represent a drastic change in states that until now offered partial coverage to undocumented adults, who are human beings before being immigrants.
Up to 17 million people could lose their health insurance by 2034
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warns that up to 17 million people could lose their health insurance by 2034 if the proposed measures are implemented, as work requirements require beneficiaries between the ages of 19 and 64 with no children under 14 or disabilities to work, study, or volunteer at least 80 hours a month.
Added to this latest news is the recent information about a flow of information between Medicaid and ICE. Recall that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has caused panic across the country. Images circulating on social media show these agents arresting undocumented immigrants on the street, in homes, and even at birthday parties.
Medicaid would give ICE direct access to all personal data
According to official media reports, an agreement is in place that would give ICE direct access to all personal data of those enrolled in Medicaid. “Information Sharing Agreement between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the Disclosure of Identity and Location Information of Foreign Nationals,” was signed by CMS officials and first reported by AP News.
The information they will have access to will allow ICE officers to track the location of foreign nationals across the country. At the time of the agreement’s signing, it had not been publicly announced. This measure comes amid the deportations and the uproar Donald Trump has caused since taking office. Specifically, and according to official data, the Trump administration intends to deport 3,000 people per day, four times the number deported in fiscal year 2024, according to ICE. The implementation of the cuts in California, Minnesota, and Illinois does not bode well for the future.
“Lawmakers and some CMS officials have questioned the legality of immigration authorities”
“The extraordinary disclosure of millions of personal health records to deportation authorities is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has repeatedly tested legal limits in its effort to arrest up to 3,000 people a day,” the AP said in a statement. “Lawmakers and some CMS officials have questioned the legality of immigration authorities’ access to Medicaid enrollees’ data in some states. Health Department officials said the measure, first reported by the AP last month, was intended to identify people improperly enrolled in the program.”
