Client Update: Supreme Court Limits Lawsuits Over Medicaid Access, Courts Review Emergency Deportations
Two major court cases have raised important questions about legal rights for immigrants and public benefits recipients. One ruling from the Supreme Court limits who can sue over Medicaid coverage. The other involves emergency deportations that courts are now reviewing for possible legal violations.
SUPREME COURT BLOCKS MEDICAID LAWSUIT OVER PLANNED PARENTHOOD ACCESS
What happened: On June 26, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid recipients cannot sue South Carolina over its decision to block Planned Parenthood from serving as a Medicaid provider.
This case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, centered on whether individuals can use Section 1983, a civil rights law, to challenge state decisions about who is allowed to provide care under Medicaid.
The Court’s decision: The Court ruled 6–3 that the Medicaid law’s language did not clearly give people the right to sue under Section 1983. The majority said that unless Congress uses very specific wording, courts cannot assume individuals have a private right to sue.
What the dissent said: Three justices disagreed. They said Medicaid’s “free choice of provider” rule is written in a way that does give individuals the right to choose — and to challenge limits in court if needed.
Why it matters:
- Medicaid coverage rules are set by federal law, but states have flexibility in how they apply those rules.
- This decision limits how individuals can challenge those state choices in court.
- The decision does not change who is eligible for Medicaid or which services are covered — but it makes it harder to legally challenge access issues.
COURTS REVIEW EMERGENCY DEPORTATIONS UNDER ALIEN ENEMIES ACT
What happened: In early 2025, the government used a 1798 law called the Alien Enemies Act to deport groups of Venezuelan nationals. Some were accused of gang connections, particularly to a group called Tren de Aragua.
Several of these individuals were removed without a hearing or legal review and sent to CECOT, a prison in El Salvador known for its strict security. Others were flown toward third countries like South Sudan and were rerouted to Djibouti after court intervention.
Court response: Multiple judges ruled that:
- Individuals have the right to challenge their deportation before being removed.
- People cannot be sent to countries where they have no legal status or connection without additional legal process.
- The U.S. remains responsible for ensuring due process, even when deportees are sent to another country’s custody.
Examples of court-ordered returns:
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported and later brought back to the U.S. He now faces unrelated legal proceedings.
- O.C.G., a man previously harmed in Mexico, was deported there again without a hearing. He has since been returned to the U.S. and is now in detention in Arizona.
Current conditions:
- Several individuals remain detained at CECOT.
- Others are being held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, in a converted container, as their legal process continues.
- Courts are requiring that these individuals receive private interviews and access to lawyers before any further removal.
SUMMARY
- The Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid recipients cannot sue over provider access unless federal law clearly gives that right.
- The ruling makes it harder to use Section 1983 to challenge state Medicaid decisions, but does not affect current benefits.
- Federal courts are reviewing deportations made under emergency powers, and have ordered some individuals returned after finding legal errors.
- Deportations to third countries must follow stricter legal rules, and individuals cannot be removed without a chance to challenge their removal.
- These cases show that courts are closely monitoring immigration enforcement and access to public programs.
WHAT CLIENTS SHOULD DO
- If you are a Medicaid recipient and your access to care is denied, contact an immigration or health care attorney office. You may still have options, even if a lawsuit is not allowed.
- If you or a family member is facing deportation, do not sign any paperwork or agree to removal without legal advice.
- If someone has already been removed without a hearing, there may be legal steps available to request their return.
- Stay informed. These rulings do not change most people’s day-to-day status, but show how important it is to act quickly if your rights are at risk.
