Idaho Gov. Little signs bill blocking unauthorized immigrants from public services

Kyle Pfannenstiel, Idaho Capital Sun

BOISE (Idaho Capital Sun) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill to prevent unauthorized immigrants in Idaho from accessing publicly funded assistance.

Bill cosponsor Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, has said the goal of House Bill 135 is to prioritize people who are living in the U.S. with proper authorization to access welfare benefits. Last year, Redman brought a similar bill that failed in committee. 

To receive public assistance in Idaho, state agencies are largely required to verify the lawful presence of adults applying for benefits. But Idaho law spells out exceptions for certain services, including emergency health care, immunization, communicable disease testing and treatment, prenatal and postnatal care, and food assistance for dependent children.

House Bill 135 removes some of those exceptions — requiring state agencies to verify someone’s immigration status for those services.

Under the bill, some emergency services remain exempt from the immigration status verification requirement. 

The new law takes effect July 1. 

Democrats cast the bill as cruel. 

“Have we as a society lost all respect for decency? I haven’t been able to answer that one yet. I think that question remains to be answered. The second question I asked myself was, ‘What would Jesus do?’” Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey told the Idaho Senate. “I answered that question. I’ll be voting no.”

Little signed the bill into law Wednesday, according to the governor’s office legislation tracker. The Senate passed the bill on a 26-9 vote this week. The House already passed the bill on a 46-22 vote.