An audit conducted by the state has uncovered that Illinois taxpayers have shouldered an enormous $1.6 billion burden for healthcare programs benefiting illegal immigrants since 2020.
This revelation comes in the wake of Republican lawmakers advocating for the audit's disclosure, as reported by Fox News.
According to Breitbart, the audit has sparked criticism from state Senate Republican leader John Curran, who highlighted the excessive spending and criticized Governor JB Pritzker's management of the program.
Curran stated, "Thousands of people were allowed to sign up for free healthcare for years on the state taxpayer dime that should not have been eligible under the parameters laid out for this program, and the governor failed to even seek federal reimbursement when eligible on certain services for years, leaving federal dollars on the table." The audit further disclosed that some state funds were allocated to individuals who were either citizens or qualified for federal programs.
In response to the escalating costs, Governor Pritzker halted a taxpayer-subsidized healthcare initiative for illegal immigrants in 2023, acknowledging the financial strain it imposed on taxpayers. Breitbart News reported in June of that year that Illinois Republicans had forewarned about the program's potential to cost taxpayers billions.
The report noted, "This week, Pritzker announced he will now have to quasi-halt the program starting next month, keeping it in place only for a certain number of older illegal aliens, because the costs are too high for taxpayers to bear."
In a controversial move, Pritzker later redirected funds intended for rental assistance to house illegal immigrants, as reported by Breitbart News in October 2023. This decision came amidst broader plans by sanctuary states, including Illinois, to allocate billions in taxpayer dollars to provide housing, food, and healthcare to migrants entering the country under the previous administration of President Joe Biden.
The auditor's report, which Curran labeled as "gross mismanagement" during a press conference, was released shortly after Pritzker proposed cutting funding for a program offering Medicaid-like coverage to illegal immigrants under 65 or legal immigrants without a green card.
This proposed reduction, aimed at saving $330 million, is a critical component of Pritzker's strategy to address a budget shortfall exceeding $3 billion. The audit's findings have intensified the debate over fiscal responsibility and immigration policy in Illinois, highlighting the challenges of balancing taxpayer interests with humanitarian concerns.
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