Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, has always been something of an indifferent red state warrior. His zeal for conservatism is lukewarm at best when compared to that of Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.
Fortunately for Texas conservatives, some members of the state legislature are watching other red states and adopting their ideas for use in the Lone Star State.
While the Biden administration is busy flooding both states with illegal immigrants as part of the Democratic Party’s long-term effort to turn red states blue by changing the electorate, a wise governor would do everything in his power to make life difficult for those here illegally, in an effort to drive them out.
Gov. DeSantis has been doing that.
Federal law prohibits illegal immigrants from using Medicaid.
The vast majority of governors in both red and blue states know this, yet do nothing because doing so would generate negative news coverage from the regime media.
We wrote here about a law DeSantis signed last year that ordered hospitals to ask Medicaid patients if they are here illegally when seeking treatment.
Politico.com thought this new law was an outrage! "While the law does not force patients to provide hospitals with an answer, immigrant rights groups feared the mandate would scare migrants away from seeking urgent medical attention."
That’s a risk you take when traveling to a foreign country where you don’t have the money for medical treatment.
We recommend insurance.
The law has been wildly successful. Politico.com again, "The amount of money that Florida’s Medicaid program spends to provide emergency health care to undocumented migrants has dropped significantly after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a multi-pronged crackdown on illegal immigration . . .
"The DeSantis administration and other Florida Republicans say any marked decreases in spending are signs his immigration crackdown is working."
In a single year, expenditures in Florida’s Emergency Medical Assistance program — that’s supposed to only pay for emergency care for illegal immigrants — dropped a startling 54%, from $148.4 million to a much smaller $67 million.
That’s still too much, but what an improvement.
And to prove DeSantis is serious about cracking down on the taxpayer giveaway, "next year’s $116.5 billion state budget includes a $557,882 line item for AHCA to expand a program created by the immigration law that monitors healthcare costs associated with [illegals]."
Now the Texas legislature has taken a cue from Florida and gone one better.
A hand-wringing AP reports, "Texas will be the next to try a similar law for hospitals enrolled in state health plans, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
"It takes effect Nov. 1 — just before the end of a presidential election in which immigration is a key topic."
Gov. Abbott declared, "Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants."
The Texas law also corrects an otherwise inexplicable error that Florida made.
Texas hospitals don’t have to tell the illegal immigrants their status won’t be reported to authorities. (Not that federal officials would do anything with the information.)
Besides greatly reducing the tax burden on taxpayers who are in Florida legally, the new law is also causing illegal immigrants to move on to greener pastures where the giveaways come with fewer strings.
AP again, "Some patients said they were leaving Florida, as a result of the law’s impact on getting health care and on employment; the DeSantis administration tied the hospital mandate to other initiatives that invalidated some driver’s licenses, criminalized transportation of migrants lacking permanent status and changed employment verification policies."
Here's hoping the new Texas law will have the same effect.
For red state governors sitting on the sidelines, this isn’t hard. Florida and Texas are showing the way.
Now it’s time for you to protect the residents of your states from invasion.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Mr. Reagan is an in-demand speaker with Premiere Speaker's Bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now With Added Humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.