DOGE and ICE Target Illegal Immigration with Medicare Data

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, along with the U.S. DOGE Service, are reportedly planning to utilize a Medicare database to enhance their efforts against illegal immigration and government waste.

In a move aimed at curbing illegal immigration and reducing government waste, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. DOGE Service are seeking access to a Medicare database managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This database, known as the Integrated Data Repository (IDR), contains critical personal information such as addresses, which ICE intends to use to track individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.

The initiative comes on the heels of a memorandum issued by President Donald Trump, which aims to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing benefits under the Social Security Act, including Medicare. This memorandum also establishes a new fraud prosecution program and expands existing enforcement initiatives by the Social Security Administration.

Elon Musk, a key figure at DOGE, has publicly criticized the ‘waste and fraud’ in federal entitlement programs like Medicare, estimating that such inefficiencies could amount to $600-700 billion annually. The proposed use of the Medicare database by ICE and DOGE aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to address illegal immigration and government inefficiency.

ICE has yet to respond to requests for comment on the reported initiative. This move underscores the ongoing efforts to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and safeguard taxpayer resources against misuse.