Illinois allocated $629 million in its 2025 budget to provide healthcare for illegal immigrant adults, surpassing the combined funding for roads, home-delivered meals for seniors, foster care expansion, and the arts.
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Illinois Department of Transportation – Road Fund: $400 million
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Meals for the elderly: $55.3 million
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Foster homes and specialized care: $22.1 million
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Illinois Arts Council: $24.6 million
Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, said these programs divert taxpayer money from other critical services.
The state began offering healthcare to illegal immigrants in 2020 with the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors program, later expanding coverage in 2022 to adults ages 42–64 under the Health Benefits for Adults program. By 2024, approximately 30,000 illegal immigrants were covered, contributing to $1.6 billion in spending from 2021 to 2024 for adults over 42.
For fiscal 2026, Governor J.B. Pritzker cut $330 million by eliminating coverage for adults under 65, leaving only illegal immigrants aged 65 and above eligible. Despite this, Illinois faced a $200 million deficit by the end of September 2025.
Thirteen other states and D.C. also provide healthcare to illegal immigrants, including California, New York, Washington, New Jersey, Oregon, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Rhode Island, Maine, and Vermont.
Supporters argue the programs helped hospitals, with the Embodying Race(ism) Project at the University of Chicago noting a 15% drop in bad debt at Illinois hospitals, suggesting the state programs helped offset uncompensated care costs.
Opponents argue that such programs incentivize illegal immigration and divert funds from services for residents. The debate continues over balancing public health benefits with fiscal responsibility.
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