News
‘Weaponizing the Data’: DeSantis Orders Reports of How Much Hospitals Pay to Treat Undocumented Immigrants

The Ron DeSantis administration is being accused of potentially “weaponizing” data after a top Florida health official ordered hospitals across the state to provide information on how much they spend each month caring for undocumented immigrants.
“This is really just red-meat politics, Our hospitals have been serving undocumented individuals for years,” Democratic State Rep. Nick Duran said, the Tampa Bay Times reports. “This isn’t some new trend. And it feels like (DeSantis) is going to try to weaponize the data to show that undocumented (immigrants) are pouring into our health care system.”
Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Simone Marstiller, in a Thursday letter, warned about “hardworking Floridians pay[ing] the price, footing the bill” for the medical care of undocumented immigrants.
That letter, sent to Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary Mayhew, pointed “out that regulators earlier this week asked all licensed hospitals to figure all costs and expenditures and ‘report any uncollected debt calculations related to the health care of illegal aliens.'”
It comes within hours of Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott promising to try to get the extremist U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a 40-year-old ruling, ironically against the state of Texas, that found state governments must pay for the education of all students attending public schools. Abbotts wants to be able to block undocumented children from going to school.
The Times adds that in September, “DeSantis signed an executive order directing state agencies to, among other things, issue a monthly report on the number of ‘illegal aliens’ who have been criminally charged and account for taxpayer dollars spent caring for immigrants who entered the country illegally.”
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |