Over $10.5M in taxpayer funds spent on healthcare for illegal immigrants in Mississippi

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Mississippi taxpayers spent over $10.5 million on Medicaid for illegal aliens from federal fiscal year 2023 to 2025 according to a new report from State Auditor Shad White.

“If this money had gone to benefit lawful citizens, it could have reduced our taxes, paid our teachers, paid our police officers—frankly anything would be better than serving as a magnet for illegal immigrants to come to the United States,” said White.

Federal law requires hospitals to provide emergency services regardless of immigration status, but it also requires states to report how much taxpayer money is spent providing these medical services to illegal immigrants. However, the Mississippi Department of Medicaid did not report spending on illegal immigrants to the federal government until after the State Auditor’s Office released a 2024 report on the taxpayer cost of illegal immigration.

“The only answer here is to have a federal government continue to do exactly what the Trump Administration is doing, which is close our borders and enforce our immigration laws,” said White. “In addition, I pushed hard for a new law to make illegal immigration a state crime, and that bill passed this year, which will also help.”

After identifying Medicaid’s shortcoming in the 2024 report, State Auditor Shad White commissioned a follow-up analysis to determine why Mississippi’s Medicaid program had never reported spending on illegal immigrants. As a result of this work, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid (DOM) identified over $10.5 million spent on providing Medicaid for illegal immigrants over three fiscal years.

“Mississippi taxpayers deserve to know the cost of illegal immigrants in our state,” said White, “even if it makes some folks uncomfortable. My team will always tell you how your money in being spent, warts and all.”

The full report can be found here.