Minnesota has officially signed into law a sweeping budget measure that strips state-funded healthcare from undocumented adults—a bill championed by Rep. Melissa Hortman, the Democratic lawmaker tragically assassinated just days after casting the decisive vote.
The bill removes adult undocumented immigrants from MinnesotaCare, the state’s subsidized healthcare program. Coverage for children remains intact, but this marks the most significant rollback of healthcare access for non-citizens in the state’s history.
Hortman, the only Democrat in the House to back the provision, crossed party lines and faced intense backlash before her death. Her vote gave Republicans the narrow margin they needed to push the reform through.
“This is what leaders do,” Hortman reportedly told colleagues before the vote. “You don’t run from tough choices. You confront them—for the state, for the people paying the bills.”
Despite fierce resistance from progressive groups and some within her own party, the bill was signed into law as part of the broader $66 billion state budget. Governor Tim Walz approved the measure, maintaining coverage for minors but standing by the adult eligibility cuts.
Republicans hailed the move as a long-overdue correction to a bloated entitlement system, arguing that taxpayer-funded benefits should be reserved for legal residents. Democrats and immigrant advocacy groups decried it as cruel and short-sighted, warning that it could push vulnerable populations into emergency rooms and strain hospitals.
The political fallout is far from over. Hortman’s assassination has injected an emotional charge into the debate, with supporters calling the law a legacy of her courage, and critics blaming a hostile climate around immigration policy for escalating tensions.
?Melissa Hortman sounded fearful after voting to repeal healthcare for illegal aliens
Almost as if she knew that her base would become unhinged
She and her husband were tragically shot and killed. A targeted attack, per Gov. Walz.
Was her vote the motive? pic.twitter.com/ebQjP5y5lm
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) June 14, 2025
Bottom line:
With one vote—and one tragedy—Minnesota drew a line. The new law removes undocumented adults from state healthcare rolls, setting a precedent that other states may soon follow. For some, it’s a bold stand for fiscal responsibility. For others, it’s a humanitarian failure. But either way, the impact is national—and personal.