Peoria Standard

Jim Rule, chairman of the Tazewell County Republicans, has criticized Governor J.B. Pritzker's administration for its handling of Illinois' Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program. Rule said that the program mismanaged $1.6 billion in taxpayer money. He made these remarks to the Peoria Standard on March 4.

"Over the past four years, Governor JB Pritzker allowed a staggering $1.6 billion in taxpayer money to be wasted on a healthcare program for noncitizens," said Rule. "His administration's failure to control costs led to massive overspending, enrollment fraud, and severe financial mismanagement. Rather than acknowledge the crisis, Pritzker misrepresented the facts and delayed action until it was too late. Illinois must hold its leaders accountable before more taxpayer money is thrown away."

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Illinois’ Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program has cost the state $1.6 billion since 2020, significantly exceeding Governor Pritzker’s initial estimates. A state audit revealed that Pritzker’s administration underestimated both enrollment and costs, with some expenses surpassing projections by 282%. The audit identified errors such as duplicate recipient IDs and undocumented enrollees possessing Social Security numbers. Despite these financial challenges, Pritzker recently decided to terminate the program by July 1, though Republican leaders are calling for an immediate shutdown.

Capitol News Illinois reported that Illinois is facing a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall for fiscal year 2026 due to the depletion of federal pandemic aid and stagnant tax revenues. Governor Pritzker presented his seventh budget on February 19 amidst economic slowdowns and uncertainty regarding future federal funding. According to Capitol News, Republican lawmakers suggest reducing aid for undocumented residents as a cost-cutting measure, noting that expenditures have reached $558 million during this fiscal year alone. Additionally, President Trump's efforts to reduce federal funding to Illinois have contributed to budget uncertainties, particularly after his administration temporarily halted disbursements.

Jim Rule, who resides in Morton, was first elected as Chairman of the Tazewell County Republicans in 2018. The organization’s website states that Rule is "focused on boosting Republican voter turnout, growing the Party’s membership, and communicating the Party’s positions on issues that matter to Tazewell County voters."