Gov. Greg Abbott has taken action to address the growing financial strain on Texas hospitals due to illegal immigration. With a newly signed executive order, Abbott is directing healthcare facilities across the state to start tracking the costs of medical care provided to illegal immigrants. He argues that the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies have directly led to this burden and insists that the federal government should be responsible for reimbursing these expenses.
Beginning November 1, 2024, Texas hospitals are required to collect detailed information on the healthcare services provided to individuals not legally residing in the United States. This data, which will include inpatient discharges and emergency room visits, is to be reported annually, starting in 2026, to Texas’s leading state officials. Abbott made it clear that the intent of this order is not to disrupt patient care but to ensure that the financial impact on the state is properly documented and addressed.
Abbott’s executive order is part of his broader strategy to push back against federal immigration policies, which he claims have left Texas to deal with the consequences without adequate support. By requiring hospitals to document the costs of treating illegal immigrants, Abbott aims to pressure the Biden-Harris administration into covering these expenses. This move underscores the Governor’s ongoing commitment to defending Texas’s financial interests in the face of what he sees as flawed federal policies.
