CHICAGO (WLS) — Governor JB Pritzker is responding to allegations that his administration is failing to protect immigrants without permanent legal status throughout Illinois.
Last week, there was a rally at Daley Plaza in Chicago, criticizing the governor for halting health care programs for low-income residents who do not have permanent legal status.
The governor explained his decision Monday.
With thousands of low-income residents without permanent legal status in Chicago, state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said the state's relatively new program to provide free health care to immigrants aged 42 and over is a game changer for her district.
“I represent what is probably one of the most densely populated Latino districts in Illinois, and my program is to save lives,” said Villanueva.
However, Pritzker said the program was causing too much harm to the country, and it had to be reduced.
Starting July 1, the program will no longer be available to low-income residents who do not have permanent legal status between the ages of 42 and 64. The state will limit the number of seniors who can enroll, and everyone currently enrolled will have to pay a co-payment for hospital visits.
“We need to make sure we live within our fiscal limits in the state of Illinois. That's something that hasn't been done for years,” Pritzker said.
SEE ALSO: Protests over Governor JB Pritzker's break on undocumented healthcare program
The program's temporary suspension has angered some of Pritzker's biggest supporters — progressive Latino lawmakers.
Many attended the rally last Friday, urging the governor to change his mind, something he is unlikely to do unless the General Assembly can find a way to fund the program.
On Monday, Pritzker reminded state lawmakers that the program is getting a lot more money than he originally proposed.
“The General Assembly is providing $550 million for this program for FY24. That's about $300 million (more) than we originally proposed in our budget,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker said the 63,000 immigrants would continue to be covered, but those who did would lose access to preventative care.
Senator Villanueva and other members of the Legislative Latino Caucus argued that it would do more harm to the state by shifting care from doctors' offices to emergency rooms.
“They are the taxpayers paying into our tax system that are really driving revenue into the state of Illinois; they deserve our support,” Villanueva said.
Latino lawmakers and advocates say they are not giving up. They will continue to try to push Governor Pritzker to change his mind about expanding the program.