TEXAS — On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott mandated that Texas public hospitals gather and disclose health care expenses for inpatient and emergency care for undocumented immigrants.

The Texas Department of State Health Services states that immigration status information should not be requested by health care workers. But according to Gov. Abbott, “Health and Human Services Commission will also be required to report annually to the Governor and Texas Legislature all inpatient and emergency care costs for illegal immigrants so the State of Texas can seek reimbursement from the federal government.”

“Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants. That is why today I issued an Executive Order requiring the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect and report healthcare costs for illegal immigrants in our state,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas will hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable for the consequences of their open border policies, and we will fight to ensure that they pay back Texas for their costly and dangerous policies.”

Abbott will mandate HHSC to collect data on the cost of medical care for undocumented immigrants from hospitals and other providers starting on Nov. 1, 2024.