An Executive Order No. GA-46 was passed Aug. 8 by Governor Greg Abbott, mandating that beginning on Nov. 1, all hospitals across the state of Texas must collect information and track the healthcare costs of undocumented immigrants. The question of how this information will be used was left unanswered.
In Executive Order 46, Abbott slams the Biden-Harris administration for their open-border policies and their inability to address the matter of immigration. He goes on to argue how Texas has shouldered the cost of undocumented citizens’ hospital expenses, defining hospitals as “ acute care hospitals enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program and any providers identified by the Health and Human Services Commission.” Because of the significant financial burden that immigration has brought onto Texas, Abbott seeks to be reimbursed by the federal government as he believes they are responsible for the increased immigration.
The order is a clear Trojan horse presented to the citizens of Texas as a way to track how much money goes into hospital care for undocumented immigrants, whilst being so vague it can be used in whatever way Abbott pleases. If its purpose is to track down and deport immigrants, he has found his loophole. It is an intentional broad stroke to outwardly hide his ulterior motives.
With the implementation of this order and the shallowness of its content, it is safe to assume that not only undocumented, but documented immigrants alike will lose trust in hospitals. While it was openly stated that the treatment of undocumented immigrants will not be affected, it is unclear what will happen after they are discharged. Will they be able to go home to their families or upon their discharge, or will they be escorted out in a police vehicle?
The passage of this order is a blatant violation of The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects a person’s medical history from anyone other than authorized persons. Even though this is the case, it should not be. It is predatory and furthers Abbott’s bigoted agenda to close the Texas border and cast out immigrants.
