Texas orders hospitals to collect data on undocumented migrants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered hospitals to collect data on patients’ immigration status, arguing that Texas has been left to “foot the bill” for the Biden administration’s border policies.

Under the decree, hospitals will have to compile statistics on inpatient discharges and emergency room visits by undocumented migrants, as well as the cost of care provided to them.

Opponents say the measure will lead to racial profiling and deter migrants from seeking help.

The order is the latest in a series of clashes between the federal government and Mr. Abbott, a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s border policies.

Thursday’s order applies to all public hospitals and other health care providers identified by Texas authorities.

The data they collect must be collected quarterly and reported to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which will in turn provide regular reports to state officials.

“Because of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies, Texas has been left to foot the bill for medical expenses for those in the state illegally,” Abbott said in a statement.

“Texans should not have to bear the burden of funding medical care for illegal immigrants,” he added.

Mr Abbott said the move would hold the Biden administration “accountable” for its “costly and dangerous” border policies.

The potential total cost of public health care for undocumented migrants is unclear.

In 2021 – the latest year for which data is available – University Hospitals of Texas calculated that “uncompensated charity care” cost the state’s hospitals around $7 billion (£5.49 billion).

These data do not, however, break down costs by nationality or immigration status.

Some immigration advocates were quick to condemn Mr. Abbott’s announcement.

Sylvia Garcia, a Democratic U.S. representative whose district includes part of Houston, said the order amounted to “social engineering.”

Ms Garcia told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that the order risked turning doctors into immigration enforcement officers.

Gabriel Rosales, director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (Lulac) in Texas, said the order would lead to “racial profiling.”

“This is going to immediately intimidate the community, our immigrant community, and prevent them from trying to get the help that they need,” he told Border Report. “It’s completely uncalled for.”

Mr Abbott’s order says it will have “no impact on patient care”. However, experts have warned that it could ultimately discourage migrants from seeking help when needed.

“People have the right to health care regardless of their nationality,” Julia Gelatt, an analyst at the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute, told CBS.

“But we know that asking questions can make people worry about the consequences of their immigration and whether it is safe or not to seek care,” she added.

Under Mr. Abbott, Texas has repeatedly defied the federal government on immigration issues, leading to several legal battles.

These include busing tens of thousands of migrants to Democratic-run cities and building floating barriers along the Rio Grande to prevent migrants from crossing.

The number of illegal migrant crossings at the U.S. southern border has declined for the fifth consecutive month, official data show.

U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended about 57,000 migrants along the border in July, the lowest number since September 2020.