Bill Removing Non-Emergency Healthcare Benefits for Illegal Aliens Heads to Governor’s Desk
By Greg Pruett • April 3, 2025HB 135, sponsored by Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Coeur d’Alene), which removes state-funded non-emergency healthcare benefits for illegal aliens, is headed to Governor Brad Little’s desk.
What’s Happening: As President Donald Trump’s administration is working to stop illegal immigrants from crossing into the United States and deporting those who are already here, Idaho has had several pieces of legislation to deal with illegal immigrants, including HB 135.
While HB 135 does remove non-essential healthcare for illegal immigrants, emergency services will still be available per current Idaho code. The same emergency services are also provided to uninsured American citizens; however, HB 135 concerns state-funded benefits for illegal immigrants, such as the WIC program and vaccinations.
Conservative lawmakers argued that the state should not be funding benefits for illegal aliens when all Idaho citizens don’t get the same benefit.
Digging Deeper: Lawmakers opposed to the legislation said we should not be cutting vaccinations to kids who may have legal status but whose parents are illegal. One of those lawmakers was a Republican named State Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon), who has been advocating for illegal immigrants to have driver’s licenses as well.
Guthrie stood on the Senate floor and testified against HB 135, saying, in part,
“By denying immunizations, it potentially affects the overall public health of Idaho’s entire population.”
One of the biggest opponents of the legislation was the Idaho Dairyman’s Association. In a document given to lawmakers, the IDA said they opposed the legislation on several fronts, stating that part of their opposition was because HB 135 “rejects charity and development of strong families.”
IDA is a donor to Governor Brad Little. Will he sign the legislation and risk alienating one of his donors?
Tags: Brad Little, HB 135, Idaho Dairmans Association, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Immigration, Jim Guthrie, Jordan Redman
Deport the kids with their parents, problem solved. Illegal is illegal and organizations like the Idaho Dairyman’s association are inviting boycotts if they think otherwise . No compromise o this issue.
Chicken little better sign this one
tell the orange man, scab employers need ICE