Texas Governor Orders Hospitals to Collect Immigration Status Data.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order on Thursday requiring hospitals in the state to inquire about patients’ immigration status. The goal is to assess the costs associated with providing medical care to individuals living in the U.S. without authorization.
Under the order, hospitals must gather data on inpatient discharges and emergency visits by unauthorized immigrants, along with the costs incurred in providing medical services to this group. Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to ensure hospitals begin collecting this information by November 1 and to submit regular reports to state authorities.
Abbott justified the measure by pointing to a rise in migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. He claimed that Texas is unfairly bearing the financial burden of healthcare for migrants entering the country illegally. “Due to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies, Texas has had to foot the bill for medical costs for individuals illegally in the state,” Abbott said in a statement.
In his order, Abbott emphasized that the new data collection would not impact patient care. He noted that federal law mandates hospitals to provide emergency treatment to everyone, regardless of immigration status.
However, immigration rights advocates are likely to criticize Abbott’s directive. They argue that similar policies create fear among immigrants, discouraging them from seeking necessary medical care. Texas Democratic Representative Sylvia Garcia condemned the order, accusing Abbott of “social engineering” and trying to turn medical providers into immigration enforcement agents.
“People are allowed to get care regardless of their citizenship,” said Julia Gelatt, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank. “But we know that asking questions can make people worried about immigration consequences and whether or not it’s safe to seek care.”
Abbott’s order indicates that Texas plans to request federal reimbursement for these healthcare expenses, though the feasibility of this is uncertain. This action by Texas reflects a broader trend of Republican-led states implementing stricter immigration laws. Last year, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis enacted a tough immigration law requiring hospitals to collect patients’ immigration status.
Several red states, led by Texas, have passed laws aimed at criminalizing unauthorized immigration and empowering state officials to prosecute suspected violators. These laws have faced challenges in federal court from the Justice Department, which maintains that immigration policy is primarily a federal responsibility.
Under Abbott’s leadership, Texas has taken an aggressive stance against the Biden administration on immigration issues. The state has filed lawsuits against nearly every major immigration initiative by the President. Additionally, Abbott has directed state officials to transport thousands of migrants to Democratic-led cities, tasked the National Guard with fortifying the Rio Grande with razor wire, and instructed state troopers to arrest migrants for trespassing.