(San Antonio, TX)—Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring public hospitals to collect and report the healthcare costs of undocumented patients in Texas. According to the executive order, Gov. Abbott will use this data to request reimbursement from the federal government. The executive order is the latest stunt in Abbott’s ongoing campaign to harm our diverse Texas communities.
“This tactic is meant to sow fear into our communities and it will likely prevent undocumented Texans, many who pay state and federal taxes, from receiving the healthcare they rightfully deserve,” said Senior Texas Strategist Carolina Canizales. “We already know many immigrants in our communities fail to seek the healthcare they need because of fear of immigration enforcement. Abbott’s order also attacks healthcare professionals who take their duty to provide the best care for their patients, regardless of their immigration status, and this executive order would add layers of bureaucratic nonsense just to continue Abbott’s hateful campaign. When our communities are healthy, we all benefit, and when our communities don’t receive the healthcare they need, we all suffer. Abbott’s executive order harms us all.”
“We know undocumented Texans contribute to the wealth of our economy. In 2022, undocumented Texans paid nearly $5 billion in state and local taxes,” Canizales added. “So Abbott’s premise that Texans are shouldering the burden of healthcare for undocumented Texans is false. What we do know is that nearly $11 billion has been wasted targeting, rather than helping, our communities of color, this includes $1 billion in COVID relief money, to fund Abbott’s Operation Lone Star.”
“Many healthcare professionals are immigrants themselves and they take an oath to prioritize the health of their patients, not their legal status. We sincerely hope that no undocumented Texan is turned away from medical care they need and deserve because of this hateful executive order,” Canizales said. “The focus of hospitals should be solely on the health of the patients they serve.”
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities. Follow us at www.ilrc.org, and on Twitter and Instagram @the_ILRC