VA Assistance to Illegal Immigrants Sparks Outrage among Veterans and Lawmakers
Veterans Mark Geist and Shelby Anderson recently expressed their outrage on Fox & Friends First over the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) decision to prioritize healthcare treatment for illegal immigrants in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the growing backlog of claims from American veterans. While several lawmakers have voiced their concerns about this move, one notable Democrat has remained silent on the matter. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, has yet to address the issue.
The arrangement between the VA’s Financial Service Center (VA-FSC) and ICE to process healthcare claims for migrant medical care has been in place since 2020, during the previous administration. When illegal migrants in ICE detention require healthcare, they are typically treated onsite. However, if specialized or emergency care is needed, they may be taken to independent private providers. In these cases, ICE contracts with the VA-FSC to process reimbursements to the providers.
According to a report from July, ICE has hundreds of agreements with providers, and the VA-FSC’s Healthcare Claims Processing System is used to process claims. The VA clarified that while it provides processing services, it does not provide or pay for healthcare. ICE pays fees for the claims processing services and covers disbursements made to pay for claims.
However, the crisis at the border, with record numbers of migrants crossing into the U.S. and requiring medical care, has exacerbated the backlog of veterans’ claims. This backlog has resulted in veterans receiving bills they should not be receiving and dissatisfied community care providers experiencing delays in payment.
In 2013, Tester voted against an amendment that aimed to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded healthcare. This amendment failed, but it sought to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund to prohibit federally subsidized healthcare for illegal immigrants or those granted legal status.
In contrast to Tester, Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana has strongly opposed the Biden administration’s diversion of resources from the VA to process claims by illegal immigrants. Daines highlighted the long wait times for veterans seeking dental and mental health care at Montana’s largest VA facility and the nearly 318,221 backlogged claims nationally.
GOP senators Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who are also members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, have also expressed their concerns about the VA’s assistance to illegal immigrants. Blackburn sent a letter to the VA questioning its use of resources for the healthcare of illegal immigrants, citing a report by the Department of Homeland Security indicating that ICE spent over $373.5 million on detained noncitizen healthcare in the 2022 fiscal year.
Tuberville introduced the No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act, which aims to ban the diversion of VA resources for illegal immigrants’ healthcare. Tuberville emphasized that the VA was already struggling to provide care for all veterans and that the diversion of resources worsened the situation.
Tester, who faces a tough re-election battle in Montana, has remained relatively silent on the issue. In an interview in May 2023, he praised President Biden for securing the southern border. However, he has also criticized his fellow lawmakers for voting against a supplemental spending package that included funding for border security and aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The VA’s decision to prioritize healthcare treatment for illegal immigrants has sparked outrage among veterans and lawmakers who argue that it neglects the needs of American veterans. As the debate continues, the VA and Congress will have to address the backlog of veterans’ claims and ensure that the healthcare system adequately serves those who have served their country.
