Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) sidestepped direct questions about illegal immigrants receiving Medicaid in his state during a Friday appearance on Fox News Channel’s Special Report. Pressed by host Bret Baier, Moore declined multiple opportunities to say whether he supports taxpayer-funded health care for those in the country illegally.
The exchange followed a Washington Post report on how President Trump’s recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill will affect Maryland, including new Medicaid eligibility rules that would remove at least 60,000 non-citizens — including illegal immigrants — from the state’s Medicaid rolls.
Baier asked directly, “Are you okay with tens of thousands of illegal immigrants getting Medicaid in your state?” Moore avoided the question, replying, “I’m very much okay with the idea that we have to be able to fix a completely broken immigration system.”
Moore then pivoted to the impact of the bill on legal residents, claiming that “about a quarter of a million people are about to lose their health care” and that $250 million would be cut from rural hospitals. Baier pressed again: “But they’re trying to clean these rolls from illegal immigrants getting Medicaid. Are you okay with illegal immigrants getting Medicaid?” Moore again dodged, blaming “patchwork solutions” for burdening states.
When Baier concluded that “those 60,000 illegal immigrants would still be on Medicaid in Maryland, and you would be okay with that,” Moore offered no clear denial, repeating that the real issue is a lack of comprehensive immigration reform.
Moore’s refusal to directly answer whether he supports Medicaid coverage for illegal immigrants highlights a sharp divide between the Trump administration’s policy of prioritizing citizens and Democrat-led states’ expansive welfare programs.
The exchange underscores the broader political clash over public benefits and immigration enforcement. Under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, federal funds are now restricted to lawful residents, a move praised by conservatives aiming to protect taxpayer resources. Critics argue the policy is too broad and risks cutting off services to those with pending legal status, but supporters say it restores fairness and accountability to programs overwhelmed by abuse. Governor Moore’s reluctance to address the core issue reflects the challenge Democrat leaders face in defending benefits for illegal immigrants while balancing budget realities at the state level.
