A state audit has revealed that Illinois taxpayers have spent $1.6 billion on healthcare programs for illegal immigrants since 2020.

The report comes after Republican legislators pushed for the audit’s release, Fox News reported Friday.

The findings have sparked criticism from state lawmakers, including Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran, who cited mismanagement and overspending in the program.

"And it also showed that the governor was unable to manage this program," Curran said.

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"Thousands of people were allowed to sign up for free healthcare for years on the state taxpayer dime that should not have been eligible under the parameters laid out for this program, and the governor failed to even seek federal reimbursement when eligible on certain services for years, leaving federal dollars on the table."

The audit also found that some state funds were spent on individuals who were actually U.S. citizens or eligible for federal programs, raising further concerns about financial mismanagement.

New investigation finds the State of Illinois is providing free taxpayer funded healthcare for illegals, costing taxpayers millions

“Governor JB Pritzker is defending the program” “Accusations tonight against an Illinois program that provides healthcare for undocumented… pic.twitter.com/IG4mPSekE8 — Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) February 28, 2025

In 2023, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) took steps to halt a program that provided taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants.

The decision came after rising costs became unsustainable, a move first reported by Breitbart News in June of that year.

At the time, Illinois Republicans had warned that the program would cost taxpayers billions.

"This week, Pritzker announced he will now have to quasi-halt the program starting next month, keeping it in place only for a certain number of older illegal aliens, because the costs are too high for taxpayers to bear," Breitbart reported at the time.

Despite these concerns, taxpayer spending on services for illegal immigrants has continued to be a significant issue in Illinois.

In October 2023, Breitbart News reported that Pritzker diverted rental assistance funds meant for struggling Illinois citizens and instead used them to house illegal immigrants.

The move drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, who accused the governor of prioritizing noncitizens over state residents in need.

In April 2024, Illinois, along with other sanctuary states, planned to allocate billions in taxpayer funds to migrants by providing housing, food, and healthcare as illegal crossings surged under then-President Joe Biden’s (D) administration, Breitbart News reported.

The release of the audit comes just one week after Governor Pritzker proposed cutting funding for a program that provides Medicaid-like coverage to illegal immigrants under 65 or legal immigrants without a green card.

The proposed budget reduction, estimated to save $330 million, is part of Pritzker’s broader strategy to address a $3 billion budget shortfall, according to Fox News.

At a press conference, Curran described the findings as 'gross mismanagement', highlighting that the governor's administration had failed to properly oversee spending and ensure that only eligible individuals received taxpayer-funded benefits.

As Illinois faces mounting budget challenges, the debate over taxpayer-funded services for illegal immigrants is expected to remain a contentious issue among state lawmakers.

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