West Central Reporter

In the face of an estimated $775 million budget deficit, State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) has proposed legislation to terminate Illinois' healthcare benefits program for undocumented immigrants. This comes in response to Governor JB Pritzker's call for over $1 billion in tax increases on Illinois families and businesses.

Earlier this week, Rep. Davidsmeyer introduced House Bill 5846, aiming to repeal the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors (HBIA/HBIS) Programs. Currently, the State of Illinois provides free healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrant adults at an annual estimated cost of nearly $700 million. Over the first four fiscal years of the HBIA/HBIS programs, more than $2 billion in taxpayer funds have been spent on healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants.

"Illinois taxpayers cannot afford to pay for free healthcare benefits for illegal immigrants, especially at a time when healthcare costs for our own citizens continue to skyrocket," said Rep. Davidsmeyer. He emphasized his consistent opposition to taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants and called once again for their termination.

House Bill 5846 would entirely repeal the HBIA/HBIS Programs. The elimination of these programs could save hundreds of millions of dollars that could be redirected towards expanding access to critical state services for Illinois citizens.

Rep. Davidsmeyer criticized the lack of transparency and accountability in how these expansions of health benefits were enacted into law during the pandemic-shortened House session in 2020 and subsequent years.

The HBIA/S Program has consistently exceeded appropriations since its implementation, even with a current moratorium on new enrollees to the program.

Amidst a surge of migrants coming to Illinois, Rep. Davidsmeyer filed legislation last year seeking to repeal the TRUST Act and end Illinois' status as a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants.

"$820 million in taxpayer funds are being spent to address the migrant crisis created by Chicago’s sanctuary city, Illinois’ sanctuary state, and the Biden Administration’s failure to secure the border," Davidsmeyer said. He pointed out that Illinois taxpayers have already spent more than $2 billion providing free healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants.

Davidsmeyer has initiated an online petition drive in support of his legislation to repeal the TRUST Act and end Illinois' status as a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants.