The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) predicts the agency’s case backlog will peak at 400,000 in 2024. So, a report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which said VA resources have been used to process claims for medical care of illegal immigrants since 2020, is causing backlash from several legislators and veterans’ agencies.
The DHS report gives a detailed view of how U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations are working with the VA to contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center to process medical claims reimbursements for immigrants who have not qualified for veterans benefits.
In fiscal year 2022 alone, the VA processed health care claims for illegal immigrants totaling more than $63.6 million in medical services, the ICE report stated. That number is expected to rise by the end of fiscal year 2023, the report explains, because providers have one year after the date of service to submit claims.
“As a Marine, I believe any dollar taken away from a veteran is a promise broken to those who served,” said Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), who has introduced legislation to block VA funds from being used to aid illegal immigrants. “Joe Biden’s failed border policies have created a humanitarian and national security crisis. Now it appears he’s taking resources away from our veterans to facilitate healthcare for illegal migrants,” he said in a statement.
In an October report, the VA reported hundreds of thousands of backlogged cases. A backlogged case is categorized as one that has been pending for more than 125 days, an increase of more than a third expected in 2024.
In its end-of-year 2023 benefits claims update, the VA pointed to the PACT Act as inspiring veterans this year to apply for benefits at a record rate, over 39 percent more than the previous record of applications. The Act, passed in 2022, expanded care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances for those eligible.
In the update, the VA said it’s been able to deliver “more earned benefits to more Veterans than ever before, including $150 billion in benefits during 2023 alone.” The agency also said, “There has also been an anticipated increase in the number of claims applications that take longer than 125 days to process,” which currently stands at 378,000.
The VA added that “we have been taking aggressive steps to address this increase and to ensure timely processing of your claims.”
That statement, however, did not calm those organizations and individuals who see illegal immigrants getting VA funds as counterproductive to solving the backlog.
Earlier this month, veteran advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) accused the VA in a written statement of “managing community care and reimbursements for unauthorized migrants while actively keeping veterans from accessing timely, quality care.”
“This means the VA is spending a significant portion of time and manpower managing care for noncitizens who didn’t earn it,” it said. “The problem is less about who is getting the care and more about who is not.”
The group’s executive director, Russ Duerstine, said the VA is failing in its stated mission.
“The VA was created to serve the veteran, the brave men and women who served and sacrificed for our freedoms. Right now, under the Biden administration, the VA is failing our nation’s heroes,” he said. “The VA has paved the way for unauthorized migrants and non-citizens to easily use community care intended for veterans. This betrays the veterans who earned care through their blood, sweat, and tears.”
The CVA did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for an interview.
In an interview with Fox News, VA spokesperson Terrence Hayes said the VA doesn’t provide any health care services to individuals whom ICE detains, with all health care expenses paid for and provided by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps.
