Oregon Moves Closer to Providing Medicaid for Illegal Aliens

On June 26, the Oregon State Senate took a new step in rewarding illegal immigration by passing HB 3352. The “Cover All People” program would make illegal alien adults eligible for Medicaid services by expanding the “Cover All Kids” program enacted in 2018. The current scheme ensures state-funded medical assistance to all residents under 19, regardless of their immigration status.

Earlier in June, HB 3352 passed in the Oregon House of Representatives. This bill received unanimous support from Democrats in both legislative chambers. Now, it awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, an ardent supporter of providing Medicaid services to illegal aliens.

According to The Lund Report, the Cover All People program would cost the state $100 million over two years and makes more than 168,000 illegal aliens in Oregon eligible for the program. The cost could likely increase if more unlawful migrants were to flood the sanctuary state. The nation’s 14.5 million illegal immigrants already incur a net fiscal burden of $133.7 billion a year to U.S. taxpayers. The average annual tax deficit per unlawful alien is $9,221. If enacted, Oregonian taxpayers would have to pick up the tab for this reckless program, adding to the monetary drain.

State lawmakers cited their concerns that illegal aliens did not receive adequate medical coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic as justification for the legislation forward. Oregon House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, who voted against the proposed bill, raised questions over the financial viability of funding this expenditure in the coming years.  

An equally important question that is not being asked: Why is the Oregon State Legislative Assembly extending healthcare to individuals who have no legal right to be in the country?

Unfortunately, HB 3352 is not the only taxpayer-subsidized scheme for illegal aliens in Oregon. On top of the Cover All Kids initiative, the Beaver State created the Oregon Worker Quarantine Fund last year, which provided financial payments to agricultural workers, including illegal aliens. While the state grapples with more pressing economic and public safety challenges, Oregon lawmakers and its governor have chosen to prioritize immigration lawbreakers over American citizens. 

Rewarding immigration scofflaws by providing them healthcare services will encourage more unauthorized entries across our borders, exacerbating the fiscal burdens already weighing on state and local governments.