HHS is sharing Medicaid data with the Department of Homeland Security for potential use in immigration enforcement, as California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., have begun allowing illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid programs funded with state taxpayer dollars.

California has been a particular focus given the Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions there in recent weeks, which sparked protests that have turned violent at times.

“This potential data transfer brought to our attention by the AP is extremely concerning, and if true, potentially unlawful, particularly given numerous headlines highlighting potential improper federal use of personal information and federal actions to target the personal information of Americans,” Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) office said in a statement to the Associated Press.

However, the Trump administration argued it is legal for one executive branch agency to share information with another agency, and doing so in this case will help ensure that taxpayer-funded healthcare goes only to U.S. citizens.

“HHS and [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] take the integrity of the Medicaid program and the protection of American taxpayer dollars extremely seriously,” the spokesman said. “HHS acted squarely within its legal authority — and in full compliance with all applicable laws—to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them.”

Republicans call for ICE to stop arresting noncriminal illegal immigrants

The news will likely upset progressives and Democrats who have said President Donald Trump is taking his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration too far.

Even some Republicans have urged Trump to focus on people who have committed other crimes in addition to migrating without authorization.

However, the Trump administration has argued that former President Joe Biden’s White House stepped out of line, necessitating the current enforcement actions.

“What is unprecedented is the intentional systemic neglect and policy failures under the Biden-Harris administration that opened the floodgates for illegal immigrants to exploit Medicaid — and forced hardworking Americans to foot the bill,” the spokesman said. “In states like California, these failures are now on full display.”

Medicaid funding is also at the center of battles over Trump’s “one big, beautiful” reconciliation bill, with Republicans hoping to invoke work requirements for Medicaid recipients that Democrats have said will leave millions of people uninsured.

However, the Trump administration feels it has the upper hand in the immigration battle, promising to continue its crackdown after the Biden administration took a lenient stance on enforcement.

“That ends now,” the spokesman said. “CMS is aggressively cracking down on states that may be misusing federal Medicaid funds to subsidize care for illegal immigrants.”