The Minnesota Senate today approved House File 1, legislation to end free, taxpayer-funded health care for adult illegal immigrants. The bill, chief-authored in the Senate by Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls), repeals a controversial 2023 law extending full MinnesotaCare coverage to eligible illegal immigrants that went into effect in January 2025.
“MinnesotaCare is a generous benefit designed to help Minnesotans in need, not to incentivize illegal immigration,” Rasmusson said. “With a projected $6 billion state deficit, we have to set priorities and put Minnesotans first.”
Throughout the 2025 legislative session, Senate Republicans have sounded the alarmon the surge in illegal immigrants enrolling in the program. Since the program launched in January, more than 20,000 illegal immigrants have enrolled in MinnesotaCare, more than triple the original first-year estimate of 5,874. Although the program was projected to cost approximately $220 million in the February forecast, continued spending at the current rate would have pushed total costs beyond $600 million.
Unlike other public health programs, such as those for nursing homes, individuals with disabilities, or low-income Minnesotans, which receive federal matching dollars, MinnesotaCare coverage for illegal immigrants is funded entirely by state taxpayers.
“This is about being honest with Minnesotans about how their tax dollars are being spent,” Rasmusson said. “We cannot justify spending hundreds of millions on individuals who broke the law to enter the country while we face cuts to special education, nursing homes, and disability services.”
During the floor debate, Senate Republicans pointed to other states where similar programs significantly exceeded budget projections after expanding coverage to illegal immigrants. In California, a comparable expansion ran $2.7 billion over budget, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to pause the program. In Illinois, costs rose 286% beyond expectations, forcing the state to eliminate coverage for certain age groups.
“This program made Minnesota a magnet for illegal immigration. Even governors in deep-blue states like California and Illinois have had to admit this approach is not sustainable,”Rasmusson said.
House File 1 now goes to Gov. Tim Walz for his signature.