$200M and counting: Huge health grant payouts go to illegal immigrants, watchdog says

While some Democrats repeatedly say illegal immigrants can't access federal spending, new research shows they do.

And it goes well beyond the billions in healthcare and public education.

Open the Books discovered illegal immigrants have benefited from at least $200 million in direct federal healthcare-related grants -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

“These are grants for healthcare research and programing, specifically with the word ‘undocumented’ in the grant description,” Rachel O'Brien, who is the deputy public policy editor for Openthebooks.com, told The National News Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat on Friday.

“There’s likely much more spending like this but (it’s) harder to find because it doesn’t specifically say it goes to undocumented immigrants, even though in many cases it does,” O'Brien added. “What the $200 million doesn’t include is the $27 billion that federal and state governments already spent between fiscal years 2017 and 2023 on Medicaid services for people who are undocumented. This is for emergency Medicaid services if they’re ineligible for full Medicaid coverage because of their immigration status.”

O'Brien also said the $200 million doesn’t include education spending that benefits illegal immigrants and their children, which she said amounts to about $70 billion annually.

“So, this $200 million is a very small portion of what we know,” she said.

READ THE STORY

--------------------------------------

The National Desk (TND) brings you award-winning local storytelling from Sinclair Broadcast Group's local TV newsrooms across the United States and feeds from sources throughout the world.

Like us on Facebook for live feeds, video

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

Follow us on X

Read more & watch our videos

TND covers content from Sinclair's stations in:

Abilene-San Angelo, TX : KTXS

Albany, GA : WFXL

Albany, NY : WRGB

Amarillo, TX : KVII

Asheville, NC : WLOS

Austin , TX : KEYE

Bakersfield, CA : KBAK/KBFX

Baltimore : WBFF

Beaumont, TX : KFDM/KBTV

Birmingham, AL : WBMA

Boise, ID : KBOI/KYUU

Bristol, VA : WCYB

Cedar Rapids, IA : KGAN/KFXA

Champaign, IL : WCCU

Charleston, SC : WCIV

Charleston, WV : WCHS/WVAH

Chattanooga, TN : WTVC

Cincinnati, OH : WKRC/WSTR

Columbia, SC : WACH

Columbus, OH : WSYX/WTTE

Dayton, OH : WKEF/WRGT

El Paso, TX : KFOX/KDBC

Eugene, OR : KVAL/KMTR

Eureka, CA : KAEF

Flint, MI : WEYI/WBSF

Fresno, CA : KMPH

Gainesville, FL : WGFL

Green Bay, WI : WLUK

Greenville-New Bern, NC : WCTI

Harlingen, TX : KGBT

Harrisburg, PA : WHP

Jefferson City, MO : KRCG

Johnstown, PA : WJAC

Kalamazoo-Grand Rapids, MI : WWMT

Kirksville-Ottumwa, IA : KTVO

Las Vegas, NV : KSNV

Lewiston, ID : KLEW

Lincoln, NE : KHGI/KWNB

Little Rock, AR : KATV

Lynchburg, VA : WSET

Macon, GA : WGXA

Medford, OR : KTVL

Mobile, AL : WPMI

Myrtle Beach, SC : WPDE

Nashville, TN : WZTV

Oklahoma City : KOCB/KOKH

Pasco, WA : KEPR

Pensacola, FL : WEAR/WFGX

Portland, ME : WGME/WPFO

Portland, OR : KATU/KUNP

Providence, RI : WJAR

Quincy-Hannibal, IL : KHQA

Redding-Chico, CA : KRCR

Reno, NV : KRNV/KRXI

Rochester, NY : WHAM

Salt Lake City : KUTV

San Antonio, TX : KABB/WOAI

Savannah, GA : WTGS

Seattle, WA : KOMO/KUNS

Sioux City, IA : KMEG/KPTH

South Bend, IN : WSBT

Springfield, IL : WICS

Steubenville, OH : WTOV

Syracuse, NY : WSTM

Toledo, OH : WNWO

Traverse City, MI : WPBN

Tulsa, OK : KTUL

Washington DC : WJLA

West Palm Beach, FL : WPEC

Wilkes-Barre, PA : WOLF

Yakima, WA : KIMA

This video and all Sinclair Broadcast Group content archives of local news and sports coverage are available for your use. For more information contact us at contentsales@sbgtv.com