Lawmakers weigh health care for undocumented New Yorkers

Migrants with asylum seeker status and undocumented New Yorkers could be in line for health care coverage after New York was granted approval to do so by the federal government this week.

But lawmakers will still have to pass legislation to do so in the next several days before the legislative session concludes in Albany.

Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul is still seeking approval from the federal government to grant expedited work approval for asylum seekers amid an influx of migrants coming to New York.

Republican lawmakers are also calling for stricter accounting of how New York is spending $1 billion in aid to New York City for migrant-support resources.

And the migrant situation has also led to a flurry of lawsuits and legal challenges between local governments over the last several weeks amid Mayor Eric Adams' voluntary plan to house migrants in communities outside of the city.

Hochul on Wednesday said she continues to seek federal support to aid migrants who have arrived in New York – from monetary support from Congress and an expedited approval for migrants with asylum status to be able to work.

"Give us that status for the individuals who are coming from South and Central America and that will continue the entire dynamic around us," she told reporters.

New York state has already set aside $1 billion to aid New York City's response to an influx of migrants – less than third of what Adams says is needed. Republican state Assemblyman Ed Ra says there needs to be a full accounting of how that money is spent.

"If they’re going to utilize that funding to re-locate people outside of New York City – what are we doing to make sure there's communication?" he said. "We think local laws have to be complied with and we think that there has to be coordination with the local governments so we know who is coming in to each of our counties and municipalities."

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing for the expansion of health care coverage for undocumented New Yorkers – a move that could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of people who do not currently have coverage.

A letter from federal officials released this week to New York gave approval to use an untapped pot of money – potentially covering asylum seekers as well as undocumented New Yorkers in the process. State Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas wants to get a bill done by the end of the week to do that.

"Health care is so essential to the well being of our lives here in New York. We saw that during the pandemic," she said. "Our health is inextricably linked to our well being of our communities and the state as a whole."

Health Committee Chair Amy Paulin says the federal approval was critical – allowing New York to use a pot of money to make it happen.

"We need to make sure that families that are living here are provided with that same right as others," Paulin said. "And we have the money."