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HR 5319119th CongressIn Committee
LINE Act
Introduced: Sep 11, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-California)
Technology & Innovation
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The LINE Act would bar the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing individually identifiable health information that CMS/HHS obtains through a person’s enrollment in a Medicaid program with any person or entity, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws. In other words, Medicaid enrollment data could not be disclosed to ICE or used for immigration enforcement, and this restriction would take precedence over the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). The bill, introduced in the 119th Congress, aims to strengthen privacy protections for Medicaid enrollees, particularly regarding immigration-related data use.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act may be cited as the Limiting ICE's Nationwide Encroachment Act (LINE Act).
- 2Core prohibition: CMS and HHS may not disclose individually identifiable health information related to Medicaid enrollment (as defined by the Social Security Act) to any person, including ICE, for the purpose of enforcing immigration laws.
- 3Privacy Act override: The prohibition is stated to apply “Notwithstanding section 552a of title 5, United States Code,” meaning it supersedes the Privacy Act’s disclosures in this context.
- 4Scope of data: Covers individually identifiable health information obtained in relation to an individual’s enrollment under a State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act (Medicaid).
- 5Limit of scope: The text provided focuses on immigration-enforcement purposes; it does not specify other potential uses beyond immigration enforcement, nor does it list explicit exceptions within the bill as introduced.
Impact Areas
Primary group/area affected- Medicaid enrollees, especially immigrant or mixed-status individuals, whose enrollment data would be shielded from disclosure for immigration enforcement purposes.Secondary group/area affected- Federal agencies (CMS and HHS) and state Medicaid agencies that administer enrollment data and may otherwise share data; the bill would restrict data-sharing practices with ICE and similar enforcement entities.Additional impacts- Privacy protections: strengthens protection of health information tied to Medicaid enrollment beyond what the Privacy Act would allow.- Immigration enforcement: could reduce ICE’s ability to use Medicaid enrollment data for immigration enforcement investigations.- Administration and compliance: may require changes to data-sharing policies, contracts, and data-use agreements between CMS/HHS and other entities to ensure enforcement of the prohibition.- Policy and political considerations: reflects ongoing debates about data privacy vs. immigration enforcement and could influence future legislation or litigation related to health data sharing and enforcement activities.
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