State leaders address Governor Abbott's order requiring Texas hospitals to record the immigration status of their patients

Congressman Al Green and other political leaders will address Governor Greg Abbott's executive order requiring Texas hospitals to collect information on the immigration status of their patients so that hospitals can subsequently track the costs incurred in treating undocumented immigrants.

Previous hospital policies did not include questions about immigration status. The executive order would require the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect that information so the state of Texas can then bill the federal government.

“Due to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' open borders policies, Texas has had to bear the cost of providing health care to people living in the state illegally,” Governor Abbott said in a statement. “Texans should not have to bear the burden of financially supporting the health care of illegal immigrants.”

The order requires Texas hospitals to collect information on the cost of medical care for undocumented immigrants starting November 1, 2024. Directly covered hospitals would have to report data quarterly to the state health commission starting March 2025.

The press conference will take place at 10 a.m. and will be streamed live in the video player above.