Texas Governor Greg Abbott responded to a doctor's viral video denouncing a requirement for hospitals to collect immigrant patient data by appearing to threaten to withdraw funding.
The governor's post on X, formerly Twitter, came in response to Dr. Tony Pastor's TikTok, which encouraged patients to refuse to answer questions about their citizenship status. The cardiologist said he feared the information would be used to deport undocumented migrants.
Abbott's executive order, signed on August 8 and implemented on November 1, asks hospitals to record how many immigrants it treats using Medicaid. On Monday, the governor appeared to threaten Pastor's employers.
"Hey Texas Children's Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine, this doctor is putting your Medicaid and Medicare funding at risk," he posted on X, sharing an article about the doctor's video.
"You better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Executive Order."
The order requires providers to report quarterly data from March 1, 2025. Hospitals must tell patients that answering the question will not affect their care.
In his video, Pastor said he and others were "super uncomfortable" about the order and that he had concerns that the information could be used "to deport people."
While that is not specifically stated in the executive order, the text emphasizes the impact of illegal immigration on the state of Texas and the possibility that information on a patient's status could help with federal funding.
Responding to Abbott's post, Texas Children's said in a statement that it supported the executive order and that its hospitals were in "full compliance."
"While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children's hold their own personal views on many topics, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children's Hospital," the statement read.
"We will continue to prioritize patient care while ensuring we are in full compliance with all laws and legal directives."
Abbott's order came among a series of measures introduced to try and curb migrant crossings from Mexico into Texas, known as Operation Lone Star.
The governor has pushed for more intense border barriers, including buoys in the Rio Grande and extra razor wire alongside fences already erected by federal agencies.
Texas has frequently led the charge against the Biden administration for its border policies, with the state's attorney general, Ken Paxton, heading up multiple lawsuits around the issue, some of which have included claims that migrants are adversely impacting states' resources.
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