Posted on: Mon 21-07-2025

Thousands of Nigerian healthcare workers in the United States — many of whom relocated within the past decade — are now facing the threat of deportation. This development follows a controversial agreement that gives U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to the personal data of over 79 million Medicaid recipients.

According to recent reports, ICE officials will now be able to track the location, ethnicity, and legal status of recipients through data obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The move, authorized under President Donald Trump’s administration, is part of a broader campaign to deport undocumented immigrants, particularly those benefiting from public health programs.

Experts warn that Nigerian professionals who entered the U.S. via USAID programs or the Diversity Visa Lottery and later enrolled in Medicaid — often due to their employment in healthcare — may be vulnerable. Families of such workers are also reportedly affected.

The data-sharing agreement, not publicly announced, has drawn widespread criticism from lawmakers and health officials. Twenty states have filed lawsuits, arguing that sharing Medicaid data with ICE violates federal health privacy laws. Concerns are also mounting over the potential impact on emergency medical services, with many immigrants now afraid to seek care for fear of deportation.

CMS insiders say the agency is being pressured to act as a conduit for immigration enforcement — a shift that could undermine trust in healthcare access for vulnerable populations. While federal law prohibits undocumented immigrants from accessing full Medicaid benefits, emergency Medicaid remains available for all, including lifesaving treatments in urgent care settings.

This unfolding crisis threatens not only the livelihoods of Nigerian medical professionals abroad but also raises ethical and legal questions about the intersection of healthcare and immigration enforcement.

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