Texas hospitals to start asking immigrants about their legal status

Sep 16

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Texas is joining Florida in its quest to identify undocumented immigrants living in the state. In 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put into a place a law requiring hospitals to ask whether a patient was in the U.S. legally. Now, Texas is following suit.

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Hospitals in the Lone Star State will start asking patients the same thing on Nov. 1. However, Texas’ law differs from Florida’s in a big way: In Texas, health care providers do not have to tell patients their legal status will not be shared with law enforcement.

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Both states see a high number of immigrants and neither has expanded Medicaid access to them. Still though, research has proven immigrants tend to use less and spend less on health care.

Tags: Florida, Greg Abbott, Health, Health Care, Immigration, Medicaid, migrants, Ron DeSantis, Texas, Undocumented

TEXAS IS JOINING FLORIDA IN ITS QUEST TO IDENTIFY UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THE STATE.

IN 20-23 – FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS PUT INTO A PLACE A LAW REQUIRING HOSPITALS TO ASK WHETHER A PATIENT WAS IN THE U-S LEGALLY.

NOW, TEXAS IS FOLLOWING SUIT.

HOSPITALS IN THE LONE STAR STATE WILL START ASKING PATIENTS THE SAME THING ON NOVEMBER 1-ST.

BUT – TEXAS’ LAW DIFFERS FROM FLORIDA’S IN A BIG WAY.

IN TEXAS, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS DO *NOT* HAVE TO TELL PATIENTS THEIR LEGAL STATUS WILL NOT BE SHARED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BOTH STATES SEE A HIGH NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS AND NEITHER HAS EXPANDED MEDICAID ACCESS TO THEM – BUT STILL, RESEARCH HAS PROVEN IMMIGRANTS TEND TO USE LESS AND SPEND LESS ON HEALTH CARE.