Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, R, has signed a new executive order requiring hospitals across the state to collect information on the immigration status of patients. The order aims to track the financial impact of health care services provided to noncitizens.
The order directs hospitals to document not only the immigration status of patients but also emergency visits, discharge details and all associated costs of their care.
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will compile the data and document it for state officials.
Abbott said the surge of migrants at the southern border has increased strain on the state’s health care system. He added that migrants’ unpaid medical bills are creating a financial burden for Texans and is calling for the federal government to reimburse the state for these costs.
Announcing the executive order on X, Abbott said Texans should not have to foot the bill for illegal immigrants’ health care.
“We’ll fight to ensure the Biden-Harris administration pays back Texas for their costly open-border policies,” Abbott said.
The measure is already receiving pushback from Democrats in the state. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, said on X that Gov. Abbott is once again engaging in social engineering and targeting immigrants. “Just unacceptable,” she added.
In his executive order, Abbott states that, as required by federal law, migrants who provide the information will not be turned away and will still receive medical care. The measure is set to start on Nov. 1, although expected legal challenges could postpone its implementation.
