April 28, 2025 – Newly released data shows that illegal aliens cost Texas taxpayers $121.8 million in hospital fees in just one month. The figure comes from a directive issued by Governor Greg Abbott last year, ordering the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to collect and report the financial burden that illegal immigration places on the state’s hospital system.
This data is the first installment of monthly reports that Texas will produce moving forward. Abbott’s directive was part of a broader strategy to highlight the hidden costs of illegal immigration, which he argues are often downplayed or ignored by federal authorities. The new data suggests that emergency room visits, labor and delivery services, surgeries, and other urgent medical care for illegal aliens are placing immense strain on Texas’ healthcare infrastructure.
Texas hospitals are legally required to provide emergency care regardless of a patient’s immigration status under federal law. However, the cost of that care—when unreimbursed—ultimately shifts to taxpayers, either through higher healthcare costs, increased insurance premiums, or direct state funding for hospital systems…