Prioritizing Illegal Immigrants Over Vulnerable Citizens: A Betrayal of Colorado’s Values

Governor Jared Polis’s decision to cut funding for critical pediatric behavioral therapy and resources for Colorado children with autism to fund the “Cover All Coloradans” program is a disgrace. This isn’t just bad policy - it’s a blatant betrayal of the very people our elected officials are supposed to serve: American citizens, especially the most vulnerable among us.

Let’s be clear: “Cover All Coloradans” is nothing more than a sanctuary city policy wrapped in Medicaid branding. It’s designed to extend taxpayer-funded health care to illegal immigrants, and its costs are spiraling out of control. What started as a program serving 3,700 people at $34 million in 2022 has ballooned to an estimated 15,000 people and $51 million by 2025. Of that, $39 million will come directly from Colorado’s general fund - the same fund now being drained of money that should be used to support children with autism and other developmental disabilities (IDD).

Our elected officials, who swore to represent the citizens of this state, have turned their backs on the very people who put them in office. Instead, they’ve chosen to prioritize illegal immigrants over law-abiding, tax-paying citizens and their children. This is not compassionate governance - it’s a betrayal. The IDD community, which includes some of the most vulnerable and underserved individuals in Colorado, is being left behind so politicians can virtue-signal with other people’s money.

Children with autism require intensive therapies to learn basic communication, develop life skills, and have a chance at independence. These therapies aren’t optional - they’re essential. Cutting funding for these services effectively tells Colorado families that their children’s futures are less important than catering to individuals who are not even here legally. It’s unconscionable.

What’s worse, this outcome was entirely predictable. By drafting and passing the Cover All Coloradans program, Colorado legislators and Governor Polis chose to prioritize illegal occupants of our state over the people who elected them. This isn’t just bad governance - it’s a moral failure. The IDD community has faced systemic neglect for years, and this decision magnifies that injustice by diverting critical resources away from those who need them most.

“Cover All Coloradans” is a sanctuary policy by another name, and its consequences are clear: skyrocketing costs, a ballooning program, and vulnerable citizens left to fend for themselves. Governor Polis and those who supported this program have effectively told the families of Colorado that their voices don’t matter. The very citizens who pay taxes, follow the law, and contribute to our communities are being sidelined in favor of those who broke the law to be here.

Elected officials are supposed to serve citizens, not illegal occupants of our districts. Their duty is to protect and prioritize the interests of the people who put them in office - especially the most vulnerable among us. Cutting support for children with autism and other developmental disabilities in favor of funding illegal immigrants is a slap in the face to every family in the IDD community.

The IDD community deserves better. Colorado citizens deserve better. And we, as voters, must hold these elected officials accountable. It’s time to stop sacrificing the needs of our most vulnerable populations on the altar of political correctness and sanctuary policies. The question is simple: Will we stand up for our children, or will we continue to let our elected leaders sell out the people they were elected to serve?

Governor Polis, the Colorado Legislature, and every official who supported this program owe the IDD community and the families of Colorado an explanation - and an apology. But more than that, they owe us real leadership that prioritizes the needs of citizens over the demands of political agendas. It’s time for accountability, and it’s time to put Colorado’s citizens - the very people for whom we swore an oath to serve - first.

Location: 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80203, USA

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