Chambana Sun

A recent report by the Illinois Auditor General has uncovered significant mismanagement in Governor J.B. Pritzker's healthcare program for noncitizens, revealing thousands of potentially ineligible enrollees and costs that have far exceeded initial projections. At a press conference at the state capitol, Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran and Senator Chapin Rose addressed the audit's findings, calling for increased financial transparency from the Pritzker Administration and stronger oversight to prevent further misuse of taxpayer funds.

"The audit’s findings show the shocking misuse and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars by the Pritzker Administration," stated Curran. "The governor’s overspend on his free healthcare for non-citizens program and gross mismanagement increases costs on all Illinois taxpayers and crowds spending on education and other core services."

Auditors discovered that over 6,000 enrollees classified as "undocumented" possessed Social Security Numbers, raising concerns about the integrity of the enrollment process and eligibility verification failures. Senate Republicans expressed worries that this lack of oversight erodes public trust and burdens taxpayers with the administration's failure to manage responsibly. Curran and Rose emphasized that Illinois residents deserve transparency and accountability instead of bureaucratic incompetence.

The audit also revealed substantial cost overruns, with expenditures for certain age groups nearly 300 percent over budget. The most significant overrun occurred in the 42-54 age group, where costs surged to almost triple what was projected.

"Once again, the governor has proven himself unreliable, and we’re finding out after the fact that his estimates weren’t even in the ballpark," said Senator Rose. "If it were up to me, we’d get rid of these programs entirely. Illinois taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for illegal immigrants."

Senate Republicans have consistently criticized Gov. Pritzker's decision to allocate billions in taxpayer dollars to non-citizen programs while Illinois families face rising property taxes, grocery bills, and healthcare costs. They argue that instead of prioritizing citizens' needs, taxpayer funds are directed into a program fraught with wasteful spending.

The audit's findings have renewed calls for accountability. Leader Curran has reintroduced Senate Bill 1699 which mandates detailed annual reports on various taxpayer-funded programs for noncitizens—not limited to healthcare but also including housing, legal aid, among others. These reports would detail total expenditures, specific appropriations, recipient numbers, funding sources, and awarded contracts; all information would be made publicly accessible online.

Illinois taxpayers deserve transparency and fiscal responsibility according to Senate Republicans who assert that mismanagement within Gov. Pritzker’s program has led to massive cost overruns resulting in wasted taxpayer dollars.

The full press conference can be viewed at this link: https://youtu.be/VEL04XfYoGE