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The White House published a thread this Monday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account featuring photographs of ten immigrants with criminal backgrounds who, according to the government, were receiving benefits from the public health program Medicaid before being deported. None of the cases presented involve Cuban citizens.
In the images, shared under the message “DEPORTED,” police records of individuals from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Laos are included, accused of serious crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, and robbery. The posters, framed with the official seal of the White House, bear the caption “Received Medicaid” above each portrait.
In the text accompanying the thread, the White House stated that "illegal immigrant criminals are receiving taxpayer-funded Medicaid" and that "President Trump and the Republicans are fighting to ensure that public dollars prioritize American citizens first."
The post, which has surpassed a million views, is part of a tightening immigration policy by the Donald Trump administration, which in recent months has linked the management of social programs to the crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Deportations occur in a context where the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can access personal information of Medicaid program enrollees as part of an interagency agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which authorizes the use of sensitive data to track individuals without legal status.
The agreement allows ICE to access the names, addresses, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of beneficiaries, which has drawn criticism from experts and civil rights advocates, who argue that the measure turns healthcare into a tool for surveillance and deportation.
Government shutdown and political dispute
The immigration crackdown is happening in parallel to the federal government shutdown declared on October 1, following Congress's failure to pass a temporary funding plan. The administrative paralysis is affecting the renewal of health benefits and the management of programs like Medicaid, which continues to operate partially despite the cuts.
Since the beginning of the shutdown, the White House has publicly blamed the Democrats for the shutdown, accusing them of “shutting down the government to fund free healthcare for illegal immigrants.” Vice President J. D. Vance reinforced that narrative by stating that the opposition is “taking the federal administration hostage” to force concessions on healthcare subsidies.
However, CNN analysis indicates that Republican claims regarding medical coverage for undocumented immigrants are misleading. The changes proposed by Democrats in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) do not include coverage for individuals without legal status, who by law are neither eligible nor would be eligible for Medicaid. Only a minimal fraction of federal spending is allocated to mandatory emergency care under the EMTALA law, which was enacted during Ronald Reagan's administration.
Threats against social programs
Two weeks after the shutdown, Trump threatened to eliminate public assistance programs if Congress does not approve his spending plan. "The Democrats are being destroyed by the shutdown. We are shutting down their programs and they will never return," the president said from the White House.
The warning was interpreted as an attempt to pressure Congress, but also as a signal that the Executive could deepen cuts to social programs, including Medicaid, on which millions of low-income families depend.
Meanwhile, the government shutdown, which has already lasted over three weeks, shows no signs of resolution. Republicans continue to refuse to negotiate on health subsidies, while Democrats demand their extension to prevent an increase in Obamacare premiums and to preserve coverage for millions of Americans.
A coordinated offensive
The sequence of decisions—from ICE's access to medical data to deportations and threats of cuts—suggests a coordinated government offensive to link immigration control with social policy.
While the White House portrays deportations as an act of fiscal justice, civil organizations warn that these measures could create a paralyzing effect in immigrant communities, where many individuals may avoid seeking medical care for fear of being tracked.
The political message, amid a budget crisis, is clear: Trump intensifies his narrative of “prioritizing Americans” while using the government shutdown and health programs as tools for pressure and immigration control.
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