Minnesota Legislature votes to remove undocumented immigrant adults from state health program
By: Caroline Cummings (WCCO News)
Reality is beginning to hit home.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A contentious proposal that will remove undocumented immigrant adults from a state health care coverage program cleared the Minnesota Legislature on Monday during its one-day special session — a key part of the compromise in the divided Capitol to pass the next two-year state budget.
The measure makes undocumented adults no longer eligible for MinnesotaCare on January 1, exactly one year after the DFL priority took effect. It's on its way to Gov. Tim Walz's desk, and he's expected to sign it. There is a provision in another proposal that will withhold funding for the health department if he doesn't.
The change was a sticking point during negotiations between Democrats and Republicans, for whom repealing that law was a top priority in the divided Legislature. GOP lawmakers are concerned about growing enrollment and the cost to the state in future years, especially with a projected $6 billion deficit on the horizon if lawmakers didn't act wisely this year.
They worried current enrollment would triple the cost to the state over four years.
"If California and Illinois can't make the numbers work, what makes us think Minnesota can? The question before us is simple: Will we continue down a path of fiscal recklessness or will we act now to protect Minnesota taxpayers?" said Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey.
Meanwhile, the bill sparked fierce pushback and emotional testimony from DFL lawmakers who said the change will cause irreparable harm. Former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who negotiated the budget deal, was the sole Democrat to vote for it in the tied House chamber despite her personal opposition, clearing the way for its passage.
"This bill is cruel. It is inhumane. And it will cost real human, Minnesotan lives," said Rep. Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis.
More than 20,000 undocumented immigrants are enrolled in MinnesotaCare, which is more than expected for the first four months of the year, and 24% of them are children under 18, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The cost to the state is slightly more expensive than originally estimated for this period.
From January through the end of April, paid claims totaled $3.9 million, DHS data showed, but a spokeswoman said it is too early to know if it would have been as costly in a few years as Republicans claimed.
The House debated it for four hours, while demonstrators — who were already outside the chamber before they gaveled in — held signs reading, "Health care cuts kill."
The Senate followed suit later with all GOP votes plus four Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, who held back tears as she spoke about the bill.
"We will regain coverage for people because we are compassionate people, and that's what we do in Minnesota. I made an agreement. I gave my word. I will vote for this and it's among the most painful votes I've ever taken," she said.
Lawmakers reached a budget agreement early Tuesday morning, avoiding a government shutdown. The House adjourned before 11 p.m., while the Senate adjourned just before 2 a.m. Tuesday.
Passing the MinnesotaCare coverage rollback was the most contentious proposal on the to-do list, which included 14 bills.
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The numbers are staggering. It's not that the individual undocumented immigrant costs taxpayers very much; the problem is there are so many of them.
Good to see that more and more states are starting to put US Citizens before illegals.
What are the odds that Tampon Tim signs off on this?
The article says he's expected to sign off but that would mean he would be going against the party. We've seen how that ends.
Pro tip to DHS and Ice, subpoena these records and remove the problem, then Minnesota can whine about that.
Are these the rapists and murderers that Trump vowed to deport?
You're finally catching on.
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Really? Everyone of them are rapists and murderers? Why didn't he do it during his 1st administration then?
He vowed to deport everyone of the worthless illegal fuckers.
Because the worthless democrats and their ignorant liberal activist judges did everything to prevent it. I don't know what it was like in where you were at the time, but here in America we had a little thing called Covid to deal with, plus trying to end the Obama wars, so it wasn't as much of a priority, now that Covid is gone and the Wars are ended we can now work on removing the slave labor a democrat president imported so his supporters didn't have to work.
Just another one of his lies for the sheeple.
Just another excuse. Why didn't he do it the 1st time? Because once he got into office it was job done. 1st time, like this time, he is still spending 25% of his time in office playing golf at the tax payers expense.
More than likely because they did not enter until the dementia boy president and his DEI hire VP came into office.
You'd better be careful, some would view that comment as racist.
It not the comment that is racist, it was the action of the racist that was racist, Biden picked Harris for the color of her skin, by definition that is racist.
I would never violate CoC to make that claim.
Even if that was true, so what? She was still more than qualified. Trump claims that DEI is for "unqualified" minorities.
Are you equally going to disparage John McCain for his VP pick of the god awful Sarah Palin?
That is exactly what the racist democrats in the old south would say, I hired them based on (insert skin color here)
Then who? surely you are trying to claim the Harris who only got to where she was based on sexual favors and skin color was more qualified than someone who successfully performed the job for 4 years laready.
Not unqualified, but not the best candidate, because the best candidate doesn't need DEI to get the job. only a racist thinks blacks or any other minorities can't compete with whites.
The worst attempt at a deflection aside, Palin was a horrible pick and wasn't qualified, but she wasn't picked for her skin color like the racist democrat (redundant) did.
They all violated America's laws.
Trump would need to deport 8,000 per day to equal the pace set by Biden in letting them in.
Fortunately, the self-deportation program got about a million to deport themselves.
Wow, you are really bad at twisting words.
So you enjoy making claims based on unsubstantiated rumors?
First of all, "BEST" is subjective. In his opinion she WAS QUALIFIED and the BEST choice.
Second, why aren't you whining about Pete Hegseth? Both excessively UNQUALIFIED and not the BEST choice.
She WAS picked because she had boobs and he was trying to get women's votes.
I can longer entertain your deflection from facts. Harris was absolutely not qualified to be President and even you said the racist picked her for her skin color.
And Trump was?