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Colorado Blows Up Budget To Give Illegals Pregnancy Care Costing 7x More Than Thought
The Daily Caller ^ | March 18, 2026 | Harold Hutchison

Posted on 03/19/2026 2:24:27 PM PDT by Twotone

A program to provide health care for pregnant illegal immigrants in Colorado is costing the state over seven times its budget projections since it was enacted, the Colorado Sun reported.

The Covering All Coloradans program, which was enacted in 2022, gave health care benefits to illegal immigrants who would otherwise have qualified for Medicaid, according to the Sun. The program was expected to cost the state $14.7 million dollars but its cost has instead ballooned to over $104 million.

The program’s launch was secured in 2025 when money was appropriated by the state legislature. The state is now facing a $1 billion budget shortfall, primarily due to programs like Covering All Coloradans, the Sun reported.

The sponsor of the legislation that appropriated the funds, Democratic Colorado State Rep. Shannon Bird, resigned in December 2025 to run for the House seat held by Republican Colorado Rep. Gabe Evans, ColoradoPolitics.com reported.

“One of the primary drivers in total expenditure in this program has been higher than anticipated, and growing, enrollment,” the state’s Department of Health Care Policy and Financing told the Sun in a statement.

The state is expecting the program to cost over $127 million in the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the Sun reported.

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation in 2019 that declared Colorado was a “sanctuary state,” prohibiting state and local agencies from cooperating with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) efforts to detain and deport illegal immigrants. In May 2023, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started busing illegal immigrants to Denver to protest illegal immigration.

The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announced two indictments targeting 30 people tied to the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). The pair of indictments came after a probe that started by investigating activity caught on video at an Aurora apartment complex in August 2025.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: alllifeissacred; colorado; demagogicparty; ice; illegal; illegalimmigrants; illegals; immigrants; jaredpolis; pregnancycare; protectsomeunborn
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1 posted on 03/19/2026 2:24:27 PM PDT by Twotone
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To: Twotone

In just 18 years, these ILLEGALS will be able to vote.


2 posted on 03/19/2026 2:32:13 PM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: unixfox

I keep praying from a sane decision by the Supreme Court. Even if the decision goes the wrong way, these people should all be deported & the kid not allowed to come back until adulthood.


3 posted on 03/19/2026 2:35:25 PM PDT by Twotone (Sometimes I wrestle with my demons. Sometimes we just snuggle.)
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To: Twotone

Oh how I loved living in Colorado 20 years ago. Oh, how I love that I left for a free state.


4 posted on 03/19/2026 2:36:53 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: Twotone
The program was expected to cost the state $14.7 million dollars but its cost has instead ballooned to over $104 million.

How much of that can we add to the fraud totals?

5 posted on 03/19/2026 2:38:10 PM PDT by Dan Zachary
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To: george76
The sponsor of the legislation that appropriated the funds, Democratic Colorado State Rep. Shannon Bird, resigned in December 2025 to run for the House

So easy to feel good about yourself when you are compassionate and generous with other peoples money.

6 posted on 03/19/2026 2:46:55 PM PDT by MileHi ((Liberalism is an ideology of parasites, hypocrites, grievance mongers, victims, and control freaks.)
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To: Twotone

Moved from north central Florida (45 years) to western slope Colorado five years ago. This state is f*cked without election reform.

Not taxed to death but “fee”-d to death


7 posted on 03/19/2026 3:04:55 PM PDT by drSteve78 (Covid injections killed my wife with turbo pancreatic cancer because she believed The Science.🤬)
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To: Twotone

What is wrong with these people?


8 posted on 03/19/2026 3:06:02 PM PDT by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
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To: MtnClimber

I loved my first visit to Colorado Springs last year.

The trip was for a convention my wife was going to.


9 posted on 03/19/2026 3:10:55 PM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
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To: Twotone

Medicaid in NC paid for my friend’s unmarried daughter to get FREE MASSAGES while she was pregnant. I don’t know anyone in my entire life that got a free massage that was paid through regular pregnancy care insurance.

Not just illegals, it’s all the home-grown baby mammas that need to be tipped out of the safety net that has turned into a thick and comfy hammock.


10 posted on 03/19/2026 3:19:14 PM PDT by Reddy (BO stinks)
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To: Twotone

A $1 billion budget shortfall?? Not a problem, just raise taxes.

My sister lives in Loveland, CO. Yes, a Democrat...an AWFUL.


11 posted on 03/19/2026 3:26:29 PM PDT by citizen (A transgender male competing against women may be male, but he's no man.)
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To: Twotone

tax something and you get less of it, subsidize something and you get more of it ...


12 posted on 03/19/2026 3:27:08 PM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: MtnClimber

Colorado has moved to the Dark Side, where the Force is the power of Big Liberal Gov’t.


13 posted on 03/19/2026 3:29:22 PM PDT by citizen (A transgender male competing against women may be male, but he's no man.)
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To: MileHi; dynachrome; backspace; Balata; bboop; Ben Dover; Benito Cereno; BigEdLB; bluejean; ...

Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)


14 posted on 03/19/2026 3:38:14 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: wally_bert

I lived in Colorado for 22 years. I would not step foot in that state now.


15 posted on 03/19/2026 3:54:57 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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