U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert on Thursday introduced legislation aimed at preventing states from using federal health care subsidies to provide insurance coverage for undocumented immigrants.
The “No Federal Tax Dollars for Illegal Aliens Health Insurance Act of 2026” targets a specific provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) known as Section 1332 waivers. These waivers currently allow states to create alternative health coverage programs, which Boebert and her supporters argue have been used to bypass citizenship requirements.
According to the legislation, states including Colorado, New York, and Washington have utilized these waivers to extend federally funded benefits to individuals who are not legally authorized to be in the United States. The bill would explicitly prohibit such use of funds and require the Department of Health and Human Services to rescind any previously approved noncompliant waivers.
“American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize health insurance for people who entered our country illegally,” Boebert said in a statement, asserting that the bill would close loopholes used by “sanctuary states.”
The move aligns with President Trump’s recent executive order directing federal agencies to ensure federal benefits are not distributed to individuals in the country illegally. It also follows a broader push by the administration to increase oversight of state-run programs, similar to recent federal fraud investigations launched into Medicaid spending in New York.
The bill is co-sponsored by several Republican lawmakers, including Colorado Representatives Jeff Crank and Jeff Hurd, as well as Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona. Hurd stated the legislation is necessary to ensure the health care system remains focused on those “legally entitled to these benefits.”
If passed, the act would restrict federal ACA funding exclusively to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawfully present immigrants.