Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced Wednesday that the state will join into a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the use of public funds for illegal immigrants.

Missouri joins 15 other states on the lawsuit, which claims a rule set to go into effect November 1 would cause "states to expend limited resources on illegal immigrants," according to a press release.

Bailey expressed strong apprehension for the rule, stating, "Not only is the Biden-Harris Administration responsible for bringing illegal aliens into Missouri, they are also giving illegal immigrants access to citizen benefits for free, encouraging them to remain here illegally on the taxpayers’ dime."

Bailey goes on to add that the "American people are already struggling to make ends meet in the current economy; their paychecks should fund their own healthcare, not the healthcare of those here illegally."

The collaborative lawsuit argues that the Biden-Harris administration's new definition of "lawfully present," directly violates the Affordable Care Act (ACT). 

This amended definition, according to the lawsuit, allows "public healthcare benefits to now include unlawfully present aliens who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)."

According to Bailey, there are currently between 77,000 and 104,000 illegal aliens residing in Missouri, costing taxpayers approximately $342 million to $462 million annually.

This lawsuit marks a continued effort from Republicans to resist Biden administration policies, as well as an opportunity to attack the president on the ongoing illegal immigrant crisis. 

The lawsuit in full can be read here.