CHICAGO — Illinois is projected to spend more than $2.5 billion on migrant care by the end of 2025, with actual costs exceeding estimates by hundreds of millions of dollars each year, according to a new analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute.
The report highlights major cost overruns, especially in health care programs for undocumented immigrants, and accuses the Pritzker administration of prioritizing non-citizen care while state residents face budget cuts and service delays.
Health Care Costs Nearly Quadruple
The largest expenditure is in migrant health care, which has already topped $1.6 billion through July 2024 — split between two major programs:
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Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS), launched in 2020
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Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA), launched in 2022
State audits show that from 2021–2023, both programs overspent original budget estimates by dramatic margins:
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Senior program: Expected $224M → Spent $412.3M
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Adult program: Expected $126.4M → Spent $485.3M
In 2023 alone, total migrant care spending exceeded projections by over $400 million, a figure one auditor noted was “enough to shelter every homeless person in Illinois for a year.”
2025–2026 Forecasts: More Spending Ahead
For fiscal year 2025, Illinois plans to spend $629 million on migrant health, including $440 million from general funds. Given the state’s track record of overruns, watchdog groups believe the final number could be much higher.
Due to mounting costs, the Pritzker administration has announced it will terminate the adult migrant health program on July 1, 2025, though the senior version will continue at a projected $110 million in FY2026.
Additional Costs Through Other State Programs
Beyond health, Illinois has allocated an additional $478 million since 2023 for:
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Migrant housing
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Resettlement services
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Emergency food
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Rental assistance
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Support centers under the Welcoming With Dignity initiative
Combined with health costs, Illinois’ total migrant-related spending since 2021 exceeds $2.5 billion, according to official budget documents and state financial records.
Pritzker to Testify Before Congress
Governor J.B. Pritzker is scheduled to testify before Congress on June 12, where he will face questions about Illinois’ sanctuary policies and its ballooning migrant care budget.
U.S. Rep. James Comer has accused the governor of obstructing federal immigration enforcement and demanded transparency on why over $2.5 billion in state funds have been spent on programs that were never fully vetted by the legislature.
“Illinois needs to get its priorities straight,” the report states. “Taxpayers deserve accountability — not ballooning costs and broken promises.”
Should Illinois continue funding migrant services at these levels? Or should the state redirect these resources toward housing and healthcare for long-term residents?
Let us know now at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
