TYLER, Texas — Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an issued an executive order requiring Texas public hospitals collect information on undocumented immigrants who receive care.
The data collected includes the cost of care, in an effort to get the federal government to pay the state for those costs.
U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran, who represents East Texans in the House of Representatives, said the data collected because of this order will show the rest of the nation the burden Texas taxpayers are bearing.
"That information is going to be very good for us to make decisions moving forward....whatever policies we institute, we’ve got to make sure it protects Texas taxpayers," Moran said.
In a release, Abbott said he issued the order because of what he called President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' "open border policies."
In a statement, UT Health East Texas said the hospital system will follow the executive order.
“UT Health East Texas is committed to providing the highest quality care while adhering to all legal and regulatory requirements," the statement read.
CHIRSTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System deferred all comments to the Texas Association of Hospitals, a group that advocates for hospitals.
In a statement shared to our sister station in Austin, KVUE, the Texas Association of Hospitals said currently hospitals do not ask patients about their immigration status as a condition to receive treatment.
"Hospitals are required by law to provide life-saving treatment to anyone, regardless of ability to pay or status," the statement read.
Moran said hospitals in East Texas and across the state are doing a great job of making sure patients are treated regardless of who they are or where they come from.
"They’re going to give them the medical treatment they need," Moran said.
On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Al Green, who represents the Greater Houston area, said that the executive order could discourage people from seeking medical care.
"I believe this executive order is unconstitutional and I'm going to stand to fight the executive order because in an emergency, every person deserves to get health care deserves to get it immediately," Green said.
Gilbert Urbina, executive director for the Hispanic American Association of East Texas, still encourages people to continue seek medical care even if this executive order goes into effect.
"This information will not be used against them. It’s just an accumulation of data and nothing more than that," Urbina said. "They think that all their personal information is being collected and therefore they may fear it may be used against them."
Under this executive order, Texas hospitals would have to submit data quarterly with the first submission due March first of next year.