Steube Demands Answers on Why VA Helped Provide Healthcare to Illegal Immigrants

The effects of the border crisis are impacting Americans from all walks of life, including our veterans. Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) recently spearheaded a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough demanding answers to allegations the VA was processing medical claims for illegal immigrants, which he called "an absurdity."

Fox News described how migrants in need of medical care at the border are typically treated on-site. However, if more advanced medical aid is needed, the VA's Financial Service Center (FSC), through a long-standing agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will process reimbursements for private healthcare providers. Such an arrangement has been occurring in some shape since 2002, though the VA clarified the FSC does not provide healthcare or pay for it.

Nevertheless, this only adds fuel to the fire of frustrated veterans, who have expressed concerns about the VA's ability to provide for those who served.

As a result, Rep. Steube's letter said "We are disturbed that American veterans may receive diminished services from the VA due to the Biden Administration’s reckless unwillingness to secure the border," referencing the record-breaking numbers of illegal crossings that have occurred since President Biden took office.

Additionally, Rep. Steube blasted the VA as having "fallen short" in fulfilling its purpose, and "for far too long," providing an additional example of backlogs for disability claims, which have tripled since the Trump Administration.

Thus the letter posed four questions for Secretary McDonough: How many claims has the VA-FSC filed on ICE's behalf since January 2021? Are they processed ahead of any others? How many hours do FSC employees spend on these claims? And finally, are there any other services the VA is providing for illegal immigrants?

In his press release, Steube said, "It is our duty to provide veterans with quality care, but the VA has been a total failure for so many of our veterans. Many veterans fight with the VA for years to get help. Some never receive it. That’s why you can imagine how much of an absurdity it is for our veterans to learn that the VA has been involved in processing medical claims for illegal immigrants. The VA should be 100% focused on those who served our country honorably – not illegal immigrants who break our nation’s laws."