Nearly $200 million in federal health-related grants benefited illegal immigrants since 2021

More evidence has emerged showing that — despite the claims of Democrats — illegal immigrants have benefited from millions of federal tax dollars. The government watchdog group Open the Books released a new analysis that found almost $197 million in federal healthcare-related grants have benefited illegal immigrants since fiscal year 2021.

According to the report, the grants include both direct services and academic research aimed at expanding access to healthcare for immigrant populations. Open the Books’ researchers say they searched federal databases for grant descriptions that explicitly mentioned terms such as “undocumented” or “unauthorized,” suggesting that the actual total amount of taxpayer funding could be higher.

"Health Equity" Initiatives

Approximately $18 million of the spending identified went to federally funded scientific and public health research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided millions of dollars to universities including Stanford, UCLA, the University of Miami, and UC Irvine for projects studying healthcare access and behavioral outcomes among immigrant populations.

According to NIH, these projects were designed to advance “health equity” and address systemic barriers to care. Critics argue that they divert scarce resources away from U.S. citizens. Quoting the World Health Organization, the National Institute of Health defines "health equity" as "Health equity means that everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential, and no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential. Inequities are avoidable inequalities in health between groups of people within countries and between countries." 

Stanford University received $4.3 million to study how California’s universal basic income pilot program — which includes undocumented participants — affects cancer risk among low-income residents.

UCLA was awarded $2.4 million to research reproductive healthcare access among Asian immigrant women, including undocumented groups.

The University of Miami received $1 million for a study on culturally tailored interventions to prevent drunk driving in immigrant communities, the report said.

Direct Health and Human Services Programs

The majority of spending that Open the Books discovered — about $185 million — supported public health services. Most of the funding derived from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), primarily through its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.

Those grants help low-income patients receive medical care, counseling, and medication. In some cases, funding recipients reported that between 5% and 7% of their patients were undocumented. HRSA also awarded funds to address substance-use disorders and mental health needs in communities that include immigrant populations.

Another $2.5 million came from the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), the report said. 

These funds were intended to "assist with outreach across the state of Colorado" to individuals who will be "newly eligible for state subsidized health insurance coverage through Colorado’s Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise," including those who are undocumented, through a program called OmniSalud. 

California leads in federal funding for illegal immigrants, spending continues

California received the largest portion of the money — roughly $65.5 million — followed by Florida at $26 million and Washington, D.C. at $22 million. The majority of the California funding appears to be derived from grants supporting HIV treatment and behavioral health services in regions with large immigrant populations, like Los Angeles County.

Open the Books argues that such programs could “encourage illegal migration” by extending benefits to those without legal status. Supporters of these programs have said that public health efforts should reach all residents, regardless of their immigration status, to prevent disease transmission and reduce healthcare costs over the long-term.

Open the Books said the $197 million total does not include “indirect spending on illegal immigrants through Medicaid, which was estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to be around $27 billion from FY 2017-2023, nor does it account for education spending that benefits illegal immigrants and their children, which amounts to an estimated $70 billion annually.”

Open the Books identified about $13 million in new awards since February 2025 after the start of Trump’s second term. Under Trump, border encounters have dropped significantly amid increased federal enforcement. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, "26,197 total encounters nationwide" occurred under Trump — a 93% below the peak of the Biden administration's 370,883.