ST. PAUL, Minn. - Today, Governor Tim Walz and Republican and Democratic legislative leaders unveiled their "agreement" on state budget targets. The deal they reached includes stripping MinnesotaCare coverage from adult undocumented immigrants a disgraceful betrayal that the House Legislative People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus vehemently condemns.
The Minnesota House Legislative POCI Caucus released the following statement:
"We demand our DFL leadership go back to the negotiation table. Making deals with the GOP 'prejudiced party' is not making deals for the people of Minnesota. Conceding and caving in to the Republicans' cruel agenda is cutting vital healthcare services from tens of thousands of our neighbors and deeming some lives more valuable and worth saving than others. This action means folks currently receiving life-saving care: cancer treatments, dialysis treatments, care for diabetes and other life-threatening chronic illness will be pushed out of life-saving care. Our undocumented immigrant neighbors are NOT our enemy, and they are NOT the source of our economic pains. This budget agreement isn't just flawed—it's a deliberate attack on our most vulnerable neighbors. The POCI Caucus stands firmly against this shameful abandonment of Minnesota's immigrant communities and refuses to accept such blatant discrimination disguised as fiscal responsibility.
“If our leaders believe this is the best offer they can make—sending our immigrant neighbors to their deathbeds, then they are deeply mistaken about how hard we are willing to fight to protect them.
“This is not “free healthcare,” as some have said: This population of Minnesotans pays more than $220 million in taxes per year, and they will pay premiums and copays, just like everyone else. The enrollment in this program is higher than expected, showing demand for healthcare access is greater than even anticipated – but the costs through the first four months are lower than forecasted. Insurance for undocumented residents is supported by hospitals, doctors, nurses, insurers, labor and faith groups. The only opponents are Republican elected officials, and the only reason to kick people off of is racialized politics and xenophobia.
“We will not be voting in favor of the bill as it stands, we are committed to identifying pathways for productive negotiations that lead to a better solution. We are unwilling to bargain over the lives of our friends, loved ones, and beloved community members. We stand united in defending the historic legislation our communities have fought long and hard for. We will not stand idly by while the GOP seeks to wreak havoc and chaos by putting historically underserved communities on the chopping block because they see them as expendable. We'll continue to fight to ensure our communities' voices and stories are heard and reflected in legislative decisions as we work to establish a balanced budget that leaves no community behind."
Today’s House and Senate POCI Caucus press conference can be viewed here.
The House POCI Caucus is comprised of; Rep. Cedrick Frazier (Co-Chair) (DFL-New Hope 43A), Rep. Liish Kozlowski (Co-Chair) (DFL-Duluth 08B), Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (Vice Chair) (DFL-St. Paul 65B), Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis 62A), Rep. Anquam Mahamoud (DFL-Minneapolis 62B), Rep. Athena Hollins (DFL-St. Paul 66B), Rep. Brion Curran (DFL-White Bear Lake 36B), Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL-Minneapolis 59B), Rep. Ethan Cha (DFL-Woodbury 47B), Rep. Fue Lee (DFL-Minneapolis 59A), Rep. Huldah Hiltsley-(DFL- Osseo 38A), Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul 67B), Rep. Kaohly Vang Her (DFL-St. Paul64A), Rep. Liz Lee (DFL-St. Paul 67A), Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (DFL-Inver Grove Heights 53A), Rep. Mohamud Noor (DFL-Minneapolis 60B), Rep. Samakab Hussein (DFL-St. Paul 65A), Rep. Samantha Sencer-Mura (DFL-Minneapolis 63A), Rep. Samantha Vang (DFL-Brooklyn Center 38B).
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