A federal judge in California just made a ruling that should concern every American who believes in the rule of law. On August 15, Judge Vince Chhabria blocked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from giving Medicaid data to immigration officials. This ruling ties the hands of federal agents who are working to enforce our immigration laws and keep our country safe.

Let’s get one thing straight: Medicaid is a public assistance program paid for by American taxpayers. It is meant to help our most vulnerable citizens—people who are poor, sick, disabled, or elderly. It was never meant to be a shield for illegal immigrants to hide behind. But that’s exactly what this judge’s ruling allows.

President Trump’s administration has been working hard to restore law and order at the border and across the country. One part of that effort is using all available data to find and deport people who are here illegally. That includes using Medicaid data—because illegal immigrants should not be receiving taxpayer-funded benefits in the first place. But now, thanks to this judge’s ruling, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is blocked from using this data to do its job.

The judge claims that sharing Medicaid data with ICE could “disrupt” the Medicaid program. But what about the disruption caused by millions of illegal immigrants flooding our healthcare system? What about the strain they place on emergency rooms, doctors, and hospitals—all paid for by you, the taxpayer? Shouldn’t the law-abiding citizens of this country come first?

Here’s what’s really going on. Liberal attorneys general from states like California and Washington are trying to protect illegal immigrants at all costs. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Washington Attorney General Nick Brown say that sharing data violates privacy. But they’re missing the point. If someone is in this country illegally, they have already broken our laws. And when they use public services like Medicaid, they are committing fraud against the American people.

These liberal politicians care more about protecting illegal immigrants than protecting the American people. They are using activist judges to block common-sense policies that help ICE do its job. They talk about “privacy” and “fear,” but they ignore the very real fear that American citizens face when their communities are overrun by illegal immigration and crime.

Let’s also talk about fairness. Millions of people around the world wait in line, follow the rules, and come to this country legally. But this ruling tells them that the law doesn’t matter. It says that if you break into America illegally, you will be shielded from deportation—and even allowed to use government programs meant for American citizens.

Back in July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) started sharing data with DHS to help find illegal immigrants. That was a good step toward restoring law and order. But now, that effort has been blocked. The judge says HHS needs to go through a “reasoned decision-making process” before sharing any more data. In other words, the Biden-era bureaucracy is being used to delay and stop enforcement of the law.

This is just the latest example of the Left using the courts to undermine President Trump’s America First agenda. They don’t want ICE to have the tools it needs. They don’t want our laws enforced. And they definitely don’t want illegal immigrants held accountable.

But the American people are waking up. We are tired of our laws being ignored. We are tired of paying the price—literally and figuratively—for open borders. President Trump was elected to fix this broken system and put Americans first. That’s exactly what he’s doing. And no activist judge or left-wing attorney general is going to stop the will of the people.

It’s time to stand up for our sovereignty, defend our borders, and enforce our laws. No more excuses. No more delays. America comes first. Always.