DENVER — As the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts, immigrant advocacy groups, including in Colorado, are growing concerned about how far federal immigration authorities will go to find and deport undocumented immigrants.
Last week, the Associated Press reported that federal Medicaid officials had turned over the personal data of millions of Medicaid enrollees to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the report, the data included names, addresses, and immigration status for people living in a handful of states that allow undocumented immigrants to enroll in state-funded Medicaid programs.
“You need to have some trust between people and their governments,” said Bethany Pray, chief legal and policy officer for the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. “The actions of the federal government right now are really damaging that.”
While none of the data that was turned over to DHS came from Colorado, Pray and others worry it could be only a matter of time.
“We know that they're asking for data — detailed data — specifically on non-citizens,” Pray said.
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), which administers Colorado’s Medicaid program, confirmed to Denver7 Friday it had received “new, lengthy, and more detailed data requests” from federal Medicaid officials.
“The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has received new, lengthy, and more detailed data requests from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and is currently evaluating the requests,” said Marc Williams, public information officer for HCPF.
Williams said the department has always been required to regularly share detailed information with the federal government.
“Medicaid is a jointly financed state and federal program and, as such, HCPF has always been required to regularly share detailed information in order to claim federal matching funds with the federal agency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),” said Williams. “This has been true throughout the history of the program.”
In May, federal Medicaid officials announced they were increasing oversight on states that use federal funding to provide health care to undocumented immigrants.
“Medicaid is not, and cannot be, a backdoor pathway to subsidize open borders,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “States have a duty to uphold the law and protect taxpayer funds. We are putting them on notice — CMS will not allow federal dollars to be diverted to cover those who are not lawfully eligible.”
While Colorado provides health care coverage to some undocumented immigrants, it uses state funding and not federal funding.
Still, Republican lawmakers like U.S. Congressman Gabe Evans have criticized Colorado's Democratic leaders for using state funds on undocumented immigrants.
"Each new dollar that we choose to invest in care for illegal immigrants is a dollar that could go to supporting long-term care for seniors or keeping our rural hospitals open," Evans wrote in a letter he sent to Gov. Jared Polis this week.
The letter was also signed by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Jeff Crank.
The Republican lawmakers said Colorado risked losing federal funding if President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" passes because the state provides care to undocumented immigrants.
"As you know, this change would pose significant budgetary challenges to Colorado – but only if the state continues to pursue this policy," the lawmakers wrote.
Shelby Wieman, press secretary for Polis, dismissed the lawmakers' concerns.
“Gov. Polis is disappointed these three lawmakers are trying to gut Medicaid and kick people off private insurance, which would raise insurance costs for everyone who buys commercial insurance because of cost-shifting," said Wieman. "Thanks to their votes — which they’re trying to distract from — nearly 400,000 Coloradans would lose health care, which would also raise costs for everyone else. Gov. Polis continues calling on the Senate to start from scratch with this terrible bill, including truly protecting Medicaid and extending critical subsidies for those who purchase plans off the health exchange so Coloradans can afford health care.”
Pray says if Colorado turns over personal data about undocumented enrollees, it would be breaking its promise to keep that information protected.
“It would be really a betrayal to reveal this information and put Coloradans at risk,” said Pray. “We're hoping that they will demonstrate to Coloradans that they will keep their promises.”
Denver7’s requests for comment to DHS and CMS were not returned on Friday.
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