Listen to Sen. Westrom’s floor comments on this issue.

Senator Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) and Republican legislators are sounding the alarm over a dramatic surge in illegal immigrants enrolling in MinnesotaCare, the state’s taxpayer-funded health insurance program. The increase resulted from provisions in the 2023 Health and Human Services budget bill, where Governor Walz and the Democratic majority gave free coverage to illegal immigrants beginning in January 2025.

“Democrats are putting the needs of illegal immigrants ahead of hardworking Minnesota taxpayers by continuing to give free health care and other taxpayer-funded benefits,” Sen. Westrom said. “At the same time, they are ignoring the struggles of seniors, individuals with disabilities, and working families. This defies common sense!”

Initial projections from the Walz administration severely underestimated enrollment in the new MinnesotaCare expansion. Officials anticipated 5,784 enrollees by fiscal year 2026 and up to 7,741 by 2029, with an estimated total cost of $220 million. However, in just the first three months of the new program, 17,396 illegal immigrants have already enrolled in free coverage, potentially tripling the projected cost to over $600 million.

“In just a few months, enrollment in taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants has already skyrocketed to nearly three times the number Democrats projected for the first year,”Sen. Westrom said. “This explosive growth proves what many of us warned from the beginning. Minnesota is now sending an alarming message that if you come here illegally, you will be rewarded with free benefits. Meanwhile, our seniors and people with disabilities are being told by Democrats to expect less. That is unacceptable.”

To offset the higher costs, Democrats have proposed increasing the Health Care Provider Tax from 1.8% to 2%. This will directly impact Minnesota families, who will now be paying more for health care to cover these new benefits that Democrats have given to illegal immigrants.

With a $6 billion budget deficit on the horizon, Republicans also say this policy will force difficult tradeoffs. Essential services, including those for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and rural health care providers, could face deeper cuts. Counties could face higher costs as the state shifts responsibilities to the local level, leading to higher property taxes.