Federal Grants to Illegal Immigrants Exceed $197 Million Since 2021

October 30, 2025 • by DailyClout

New research from watchdog group Open the Books has revealed that illegal immigrants have received at least $197 million in direct federal healthcare-related grants since fiscal year 2021. This figure excludes vast indirect expenditures such as the $27 billion in Medicaid spending tied to illegal immigrants between 2017 and 2023, according to the Congressional Budget Office, and an additional $70 billion annually in education spending that benefits illegal immigrants and their children.

Billions in Hidden Costs

While many elected officials insist that illegal immigrants are not eligible for federal benefits, Open the Books identified nearly $200 million in direct grants for healthcare outreach, research, and public services explicitly mentioning “undocumented” populations. These funds include medical programs, addiction services, and even “scientific” studies aimed at expanding state and federal coverage for illegal immigrants.

Although such funding declined during the Trump administration, Open the Books researchers still found $13 million in relevant federal spending since February 2025. The group notes that the true amount is likely far higher since its study only counted grants that explicitly reference undocumented populations in their descriptions.

Taxpayer-Funded “Scientific” Projects

Roughly $18 million in federal research grants since 2021 have gone toward projects involving illegal immigrants. The stated goal of these projects is to “advance health equity,” often by expanding taxpayer-funded care for undocumented individuals.

Examples include:

$4.3 million to Stanford University for studying how California’s universal basic income program—available to illegal immigrants—affects cancer risk.
$2.4 million to UCLA to study reproductive healthcare use among Asian immigrant women, including the undocumented.
$1 million to the University of Miami to explore “culturally relevant” drunk driving interventions for undocumented immigrants.
$424,752 to UC Irvine to promote local and state policies expanding healthcare access to the undocumented.
$18,678 to USC to study end-of-life care for undocumented Hispanic immigrants.
$47,694 to University of Miami to study HIV prevention employment programs for undocumented Latino men.

These studies, framed as advancing “equity,” are funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—with taxpayer money.

Direct Programmatic Spending: $185 Million

The bulk of identified spending—$185 million—came from programs providing services directly to illegal immigrants. Most of this funding originated from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), particularly through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Bureau.

Examples include:

$833,594 and $655,154 in grants to the Northern Nevada HIV Outpatient Program, which openly serves undocumented patients.
$31 million in addiction treatment programs through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
$4 million to Communities Wellness Centers USA in Los Angeles for behavioral health programs serving undocumented populations.
$2.6 million to Via Care MAT and Recovery in East L.A. to treat opioid addiction among undocumented Latinx adults.

Additional grants from Medicare and Medicaid Services and AmeriCorps specifically helped states such as California and Colorado enroll undocumented residents in public insurance programs.

California: The Top Beneficiary

Unsurprisingly, California received the largest share of federal funding, with $65.5 million in taxpayer dollars supporting illegal immigrant healthcare. Florida followed with $26 million, and Washington, D.C. received $22 million.

California’s sanctuary policies and Medicaid expansion for the undocumented have been significantly underwritten by these federal programs.

Congressional Earmarks for Illegal Immigrant Healthcare

Five projects in the report were Congressionally directed earmarks, specifically funded by Democratic legislators:

$1.5 million to NYU Langone Hospitals (Sen. Schumer, Sen. Gillibrand) for a cancer center serving a population that is “almost 50% undocumented.”
$441,000 to Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires (Sens. Warren, Markey) for care to a “predominantly undocumented” population.
$1 million to Clinica Monsenor Oscar Romero (Rep. Jimmy Gomez) to serve homeless and undocumented populations in Los Angeles.
$592,000 to UCLA (Rep. Ted Lieu) for a mobile healthcare program serving the homeless and undocumented.
$175,000 to Project Access Now (Sens. Wyden, Merkley) for healthcare access programs serving largely undocumented clients.

Massive Federal Expansion — Limited Results

The $197 million in direct grants is small compared to the $150.7 billion per year that illegal immigration costs taxpayers at the federal, state, and local levels, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

While the Trump administration has boosted enforcement—directing $45 billion to detention, $30 billion to deportation, and $46.5 billion to border infrastructure—deportation rates still trail those under President Obama. Despite a sharp decline in border crossings (down 93% from Biden-era peaks), the cost per deportation has skyrocketed to $375,000 per person.

Taxpayers Deserve Transparency

As Open the Books notes, the federal government’s own data demonstrates that American taxpayers are directly and indirectly funding illegal immigrant healthcare, research, and outreach. At the same time, massive enforcement spending has not yielded proportional deportations.

The group’s conclusion is straightforward: Americans have a right to know where their money is going—and to demand accountability from those who spend it.

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