Congressman Kevin Kiley, R-California, has introduced a bill that would prevent states such as California from allowing illegal immigrants to enroll in Medicaid. Kiley estimates this would save California $6.5 billion per year; in January 2024, the state expanded Medicaid enrollment to include all illegal immigrants.
“This common sense legislation ensures that taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits are preserved for those who lawfully qualify, prioritizing the needs of American citizens and legal residents while promoting fairness and fiscal responsibility,” Kiley said in a statement on the bill.
Kiley also noted that many Americans enrolled in Medicaid, a taxpayer-funded public healthcare system for low-income individuals, are already struggling to find doctors.
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“California is spending $6.5 billion each year providing free health care to everyone here illegally,” Kiley said Kiley X. “Meanwhile, many of our own citizens can’t even get in to see a doctor.”
California, which has sanctuary state laws limiting state and local law enforcement agencies from actively assisting federal immigration officials, is currently in a special session called by Gov. Gavin Newsom to “Trump-proof” the state, chiefly by providing $25 million for state and local lawsuits against the Trump administration, and another $25 million for legal aid, largely for deportation defense.
California is home to approximately 2.7 million illegal immigrants, and filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for children born to illegal immigrants. A preliminary injunction against the order is now in effect until the matter can be fully adjudicated in court.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
The post Republicans Introduce Bill to Exclude Illegal Immigrants from Medicaid appeared first on The Political Insider.
