Extract from BMJ:
ICE and Palantir: US agents using health data to hunt “illegal immigrants”
BMJ 2026; 392 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s168 (Published 27 January 2026)Cite this as: BMJ 2026;392:s168
US immigration agents are using an app developed by Palantir that draws on the health records of millions of Americans to find and detain people they deem illegal immigrants.
The revelation comes as the US’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes under increased scrutiny after the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37 year old intensive care nurse, by ICE agents in Minneapolis over the weekend.
It has now emerged that data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is being fed—along with other commercial and public datasets—into an analytics app developed by Palantir, according to an investigation by news outlet 404 Media.1
Testimony from an ICE official and internal documents obtained by 404 show the app, Enhanced Leads Identification and Targeting for Enforcement (Elite), maps areas to help agents decide where to conduct detention raids.
The tool was reportedly used in recent operations, including a raid in Oregon in October in which 30 people were arrested.
According to the 404 investigation, Elite pulls names, addresses, and photos from health records. It reportedly works like Google Maps, showing ICE agents which areas have higher densities of people who could be detained. It also generates dossiers on individuals, including their name, photo, and “confidence scores” that they are at home.
An HHS spokesperson contacted by The BMJ did not clarify what information was given to ICE but said the information sharing was permitted under national law.
“Several federal laws authorise the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to make certain information available to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),” the spokesperson said. “Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, ‘any information in any records kept by any department or agency of the government as to the identity and location of aliens in the US shall be made available to’ immigration authorities.”
There is no data sharing agreement between CMS and DHS on “US citizens and lawful permanent residents,” they added.
In July 2025, it was revealed that a data sharing agreement between the US health department and ICE would see the personal data of 79 million Americans receiving Medicaid assistance handed over to the deportation agency.
This includes names, addresses, birth dates, and ethnic and racial information.2
https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s168
Note the Palantir, London website:
Proud to serve the NHS
The BMJ requested the contract be cancelled:
In November 2023, NHS England awarded Palantir a £330m contract to create a new data management system called the Federated Data Platform (FDP) that aims to provide “joined up” NHS services.1 Palantir is an American technology company that specialises in artificial intelligence powered military and surveillance technology and data analytics.2 Concerns have been raised about the cost of NHS England’s contract with Palantir and whether it offers value for money, as well as questions about public trust in Palantir and the procurement process.3
This contract has become increasingly controversial as Palantir has vocally announced it is supporting the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) with their assault in Gaza. Since October 2023, Palantir has been outspoken in its support for the Israeli military.45 In January 2024, Palantir signed a deal with the IOF to increase its “advanced technology provision” to Israel in support of war related missions.2 Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp says he is “exceedingly proud” of Palantir’s involvement in what he calls “operationally crucial operations in Israel.”6
IOF operations have been described as a “war on hospitals” because of the systematic destruction of Gaza’s entire health system and 943 IOF attacks on healthcare.78 Hundreds of health workers have been detained, tortured, and killed.91011
In addition to directly attacking healthcare, ongoing bombardment, forced displacement of Palestinians, and near complete siege of Gaza, the IOF has created a severe health and humanitarian crisis with high rates of malnutrition, infectious disease, famine, and dehydration. In January 2024 the International Court of Justice issued an interim judgment which stated that Israel’s actions constitute plausible genocide.
The fact that NHS England still considers Palantir an appropriate partner raises serious questions about NHS England’s integrity. The multiple contracts awarded to Palantir over recent years have brought with them allegations of favouritism by NHS executives, backdoor meetings, donations to the Conservative party, ministerial directives being used to override patient confidentiality rules, and Palantir’s Peter Thiel’s own confession that the company is “buying its way in”’ to the NHS.121314
Patients and campaigners have been raising concerns about Palantir’s creeping involvement with the NHS for years based on concerns about ethics, outsourcing, and privacy. The tech company has a long and controversial history of supporting predictive policing, deportations, state surveillance, and drone strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan.15
NHS England risks further losing the trust of health workers, patients, and the public if it continues with this contract with Palantir. On 3 April 2024, more than 100 health workers, patients, and allies picketed the offices of NHS England to demand that the contract is cancelled.16
Outrage from health workers, patients, and the public will only grow as further atrocities are committed by the IOF. If NHS England is to recover its own reputation and maintain public trust in health data systems, it must cancel the contract with Palantir.
https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj.q1712
NHS England, a quango under the Tories, is due to be incorporated into the non-departmental public body and will be integrated into the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC). The Prime Minister criticised the excessive overlap between the DHSC and NHSE. He argued the move to make NHSE more autonomous from central government.
NHS England to be abolished – what it means and how it could affect you
Story by Sophie Huskisson & Faye Preston
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