LINE Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5319
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-11: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-31T08:05:37Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to protect the privacy of Medicaid enrollees by preventing the disclosure of their personal health information for immigration enforcement purposes. It seeks to limit the use of federal health data in immigration-related investigations, ensuring that health programs like Medicaid are not used as tools for law enforcement.
Key Provisions
- Prohibition on Data Disclosure: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are barred from sharing "individually identifiable health information" (personal details about an individual's health obtained through Medicaid enrollment) with any entity, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- Scope of Prohibition: This applies specifically to data from state Medicaid plans (or waivers of those plans) under Title XIX of the Social Security Act. The disclosure ban targets uses related to "enforcing the immigration laws," as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
- Override of Existing Privacy Rules: The prohibition takes precedence over the Privacy Act of 1974 (a federal law that generally governs how government agencies handle personal information).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This bill introduces a targeted exception to the Privacy Act, which previously allowed limited sharing of personal data under certain conditions. It explicitly blocks immigration enforcement from accessing Medicaid data, creating a new firewall between health privacy protections and immigration authorities.
- No broader changes to Medicaid eligibility or operations are made; the focus is solely on data disclosure for immigration purposes.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: CMS and HHS would face restrictions on data sharing, potentially streamlining internal privacy compliance but complicating inter-agency cooperation with ICE and other law enforcement. ICE's ability to use health data for investigations could be reduced, requiring alternative sources for immigration enforcement.
- On Citizens and Residents: Medicaid enrollees, particularly immigrants or those with uncertain legal status, would gain stronger privacy protections, reducing fears of deportation linked to seeking healthcare. This could encourage more people to enroll in or use Medicaid without privacy concerns.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it may indirectly affect U.S. policies on immigrant health access, potentially influencing perceptions of U.S. treatment of migrants in diplomatic or humanitarian contexts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Medicaid Enrollees: Especially low-income individuals, immigrants, and mixed-status families who rely on the program and could benefit from enhanced privacy.
- Federal Agencies: CMS and HHS (restricted in data handling); ICE and Department of Justice (limited access to investigative tools).
- State Governments: As administrators of Medicaid plans, they may need to adjust data-sharing protocols to comply.
- Advocacy Groups: Immigrant rights organizations and health privacy advocates, who may support the bill for protecting vulnerable populations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens health data privacy under the Social Security Act by carving out immigration enforcement from allowable disclosures, potentially setting a precedent for limiting federal data use in non-health contexts. It could lead to legal challenges if seen as hindering law enforcement duties.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with Fourth Amendment privacy protections (against unreasonable searches) by safeguarding sensitive health information, but might raise Tenth Amendment questions if states view it as federal overreach into Medicaid administration.
- Political Implications: Highlights tensions between public health access and immigration enforcement; as a bipartisan or progressive-leaning bill (based on introducers), it could spark debates on balancing compassion for immigrants with national security priorities, influencing future privacy legislation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
Cosponsors (22)
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-11: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-11: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-09-11: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-11: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Limiting ICE’s Nationwide Encroachment Act — issued 2025-09-11 — PDF (2 pages)