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Biden-Harris aided illegal immigrants and made Americans pay for it
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It was at the top of the agenda at the GOP convention: 12 million illegal immigrants have entered the country over the last four years. Cities from Denver to New York City have pulled resources from Americans to reward individuals who came here illegally with free housing, education, activities and universal health care.
But these policies – supported by then-Senator Kamala Harris – have financial costs and human consequences, and those should not be borne by the American patient or American taxpayer. Yet six states plus D.C. use creative accounting and financing gimmicks, under the guise of “compassion,” to do just that.
Beginning on January 1, 2024, California’s SB 184 allows all illegal immigrants, including those ages 19-64, to qualify for the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. After its passage, Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom bragged that California would be the first state in the nation to provide universal health coverage, regardless of immigration status.
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The change adds, at most conservative, 700,000 adult illegal immigrants living in California’s sanctuary cities to the Medi-Cal rolls and is anticipated to cost $3.1 billion per year. But, by federal law, California cannot use federal taxpayer dollars to fund the program. So how does California pay for it? Federal taxpayer dollars, just laundered with the state’s Medicaid gimmicks.
Migrants walk along the highway through Suchiate, Chiapas state in southern Mexico, Sunday, July 21, 2024, during their journey north toward the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente)
California’s Medicaid program is the largest in the country, with a proposed budget of $156.6 billion in 2024. But it’s not just California’s taxpayer money that is being spent – it’s federal taxpayers’ dollars. In fact, California spends nearly three federal dollars for every one, state dollar.
Aligning with California’s decision to spend taxpayer money on health care for illegal immigrants, the Biden-Harris Administration approved a legal loophole to get the federal government to spend more on the California Medicaid program with the expressed purpose to avoid using the state’s dollars on the Medicaid program.
In the name of compassion, California operated a decades-long expansion of benefits to more and more people. But to do this, they raided payments to health care providers. The less these providers got paid to see Medi-Cal patients, the harder it was for the disabled or truly needy to see a provider, leading to dangerously long wait times.
And with 40% of all Californians on Medi-Cal, there are a dwindling number of providers who can financially afford to see a comparatively larger number of patients. In fact, the approved increase in federal funding was to fund higher provider pay; ironically, when Newsom needed money to solve his $45 billion budget deficit, he pillaged provider pay yet again rather than cut universal health care for illegal immigrants.
No wonder Medi-Cal patients in California have sued their state’s health commission for providing them with substantially worse access to health care than Californians who had different insurance.
California might be the most egregious example, but isn’t the only state abusing federal dollars – and American patients – to provide universal health care for illegal immigrants. New York also uses Medicaid dollars to provide health coverage to illegal immigrants, under a similar funding scheme.
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The Biden-Harris administration granted both Washington and Colorado waivers to use the federal Obamacare program for illegal immigrants, despite the law very clearly prohibiting participation of unlawful residents in Obamacare. The administration limited the use of these waivers for innovative health arrangements by states for American patients, but he has allowed states to use them for illegal immigrants.
Other, little-known federal agencies, like the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) manage the Health Center Program, which provides funding to community health centers that provide low-income Americans access to medical care.
California’s Medicaid program is the largest in the country, with a proposed budget of $156.6 billion in 2024. But it’s not just California’s taxpayer money that is being spent – it’s federal taxpayers’ dollars. In fact, California spends nearly three federal dollars for every one state dollar.
The border crisis has put a financial strain on these providers, increasing the need for federal funding and risking their ability to serve American patients. Other programs at HRSA, like the 340B Drug Pricing Program, have been scrutinized for funding subsidized care for illegal immigrants.
But Republican governors are fighting back – in Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed a health care bill for not including reporting on the usage of programs, like the one above, to provide care to illegal immigrants.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis passed a law to require hospitals that participate in the state Medicaid program to merely add in a question on a patient’s immigration status upon emergency room intake. It didn’t force ERs to turn away illegal immigrants, or even force a would-be patient to answer. But the inclusion of the question has reportedly decreased these Medicaid expenditures by 54%.
Ultimately, the consequences of Democrats’ open borders should not be borne by the American taxpayer – and certainly not the most vulnerable American patient.
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Hannah I. Anderson is the director of the Center for a Healthy America at the America First Policy Institute.
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Welcome to the NFL, rookies.
The Denver Broncos are set to hold a rookie minicamp from May 8-10, with players expected to report to the team’s facility today (May 7). One of the key players to watch will be running back Jonah Coleman, the club’s fourth-round pick in last month’s NFL draft.
“Ultimately, to be a Bronco is the best thing in the world,” Coleman told the Big Ten Network during a sideline interview at Washington’s spring game last week.
Coleman figures to begin his pro career as a third-string running back behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, but he could quickly win playing time as a capable blocker and receiver.
Broncos offseason schedule
- Offseason program started: May 4
- Rookie minicamp: May 8-10
- OTAs: June 2-4; June 9-11
- Mandatory minicamp: June 16-18
With rookies reporting to the facility, we should get jersey number news soon. Denver’s draft class, undrafted free agent signings and several expected tryout players will participate in the rookie minicamp this weekend.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
GRAHAM, Wash. – As Washington faces a spring with severely low snowpack, fire districts across the state are ramping up preparations for Wildfire Awareness Month. At Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, some of the most effective team members are focusing on prevention, through meal time.
Station 96, now affectionately nicknamed “The Goat House,” deployed a herd of goats to serve as official “fuel mitigation specialists.” These four-legged lawnmowers are tasked with clearing thick vegetation and maintaining the retention pond area around the station to ensure dry brush doesn’t become fuel for a potential fire.
The ‘G.O.A.T.’ of mitigation
While they may not look like your typical firefighters—and they certainly lack a sense of professional decorum—officials say the herd is setting a regional standard for wildfire prevention.
“They are the GOAT of […] fuel mitigation,” joked Wildfire Coordinator Jake Weigley.
The strategy is as practical as it is adorable. By having the goats graze the land, the department avoids spending crew downtime on weed whackers. This keeps firefighters ready for what they do best: responding to emergencies.
“It does save the taxpayers money, because our crews are able to focus on training and responding to calls,” Weigley said.
The “GoatFundMe’ account
Despite their official titles, these specialists aren’t on the public payroll. Their snacks, veterinary care, and general upkeep are funded internally through a “GoatFundMe” account, which is supported entirely by voluntary contributions from fire department and county employees.
The department hopes these stubborn workers will inspire residents to take notes on their own “defensible space” at home. Much like the goats clearing the field, fire officials recommend homeowners hardscape and remove any fuels that could carry a fire toward buildings.
A heightened season of awareness
The timing is critical. Following a winter with low precipitation, officials are on high alert for the upcoming fire season, though the full severity remains a question mark until the summer heat truly hits.
“We’re in a heightened level of awareness based on our snowpack and precipitation over the winter,” Weigley said. “But until fire season really gets started, we won’t know how severe it will be.”
Residents interested in meeting the herd can monitor the Central Pierce Fire and Rescue Facebook page for upcoming station events and community open houses. They ask to protect the goat’s health, you do not feed them.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle reporter Taylor Winkel.
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Arts leaders packed City Hall Wednesday, urging city leaders to reconsider proposed cuts that would eliminate nearly $11.8 million in arts and culture funding from San Diego’s budget.
Representatives from some of San Diego’s most well-known cultural institutions, including the Mingei International Museum, the La Jolla Playhouse, and the Fleet Science Center, voiced their concerns at a budget review committee meeting.
Debby Buchholz, managing director of the La Jolla Playhouse, said: “The idea that America’s finest city would spend no money on arts and culture is reprehensible, frankly.”
Advocates argued the cut represents a fraction of the city’s overall spending.
“$11.5 million dollars in a $6.5 billion budget is not even a drop; it’s less than a quarter of 1% of the total budget,” Buchholz added.
Arts advocates warned the impact would be immediate, with potential layoffs, program cuts, and even closures.
Jessica Hanson York, executive director of the Mingei International Museum, said, “We are huge employers of people who are making a living as creatives in this community and we want our artists and creative contributors to be able to stay here, and it doesn’t help when we don’t have the support to keep them employed.”
During the meeting, Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee questioned the mayor’s office about whether an economic impact analysis had been completed.
Kent Lee asked “Was an economic impact analysis completed in regards to arts and culture?”
The mayor’s office responded that no such analysis had been conducted.
Lee also pressed the mayor’s office on whether and when arts and culture funding might be restored.
The mayor’s office responded saying, “That’s a difficult question to answer I think there is a lot of desire to bring these funds back we are going to work hard to bring these funds back we recognize the impacts. I don’t have a specific plan for you today.”
Arts advocates say they want to see no cuts made to their funding. The full City Council will have the final say on the budget in the coming weeks.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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