Audit finds Illinois vastly underestimated cost of noncitizen health care on taxpayers

An audit found that Illinois taxpayers paid $1.6 billion for health care for illegal immigrants since 2020, which was significantly underestimated. State Senate Republican leader John Curran described the audit as showing “gross mismanagement” in how Gov. JB Pritzker, D, managed the program.

Gov. Pritzker has now announced a reduction in those benefits for illegal immigrants, hoping to save $330 million, following the newly released audit’s findings. The audit revealed numerous discrepancies, including over 6,000 ineligible individuals enrolled in the health care programs.