Texas spent $677 million on illegal alien health care in 2007

Houston Chronicle:

The State of Texas and local hospital districts spent an estimated $677 million to provide health care to illegal immigrants in a year, a new study says.

The survey, issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said that most of the money — $597 million — was spent by local hospital districts for the immigrants care during the state's fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31, 2007.

Lawmakers from both parties said they were not surprised by the millions spent and expressed hope that the report, required by the 2007 Legislature, will help prompt Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said the study only tells half of the story. He noted that the immigrants contribute to government coffers by paying sales and property taxes.

...

The story does not say how passing comprehensive immigration reform will solve this problem and the answer is not obvious. If anything it could make it worse. That was one of the fears that led to its defeat the last time it was brought forward. While the illegal aliens do pay some sales taxes, Coleman provides no data for the the story suggesting how much that might be.