The Texas governor has threatened to defund a prominent children’s hospital after a doctor released a video on TikTok advocating for patients to ignore a new state law that requires proof of citizenship while receiving treatment.
As Americans are growing sick and tired of their tax dollars funding the lifestyles of illegal aliens — including housing, food, and medical treatments — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has stepped in to protect our money and services.
In an executive order that took effect on November 1, Abbott required that all hospitals that accept Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Plan payments ask every patient whether they are citizens of the U.S. as part of their intake forms.
In response, Texas Children’s Hospital cardiologist Dr. Tony Pastor released a shocking TikTok video advocating for people to ignore the law. Pastor, who is also an assistant professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, declared in the video that it was not necessary for patients to answer the questions that Abbott pushed for in the executive order. More than one million people watched the video before it was removed from the Chinese-owned social media platform.
“So my proposal to everyone who’s seeing this is, just know that you do not have to answer this question,” Pastor said in the since-deleted video, according to the New York Post.
🇺🇸 TEXAS DOCTOR GOES VIRAL, URGES PATIENTS TO SKIP CITIZENSHIP QUESTION
Houston physician Dr. Tony Pastor's TikTok video advising patients to skip U.S. citizenship questions at hospitals has gone viral, with 1.2 million views and over 246,000 likes.
Pastor criticized Abbott's… pic.twitter.com/Z2m2nu5op0
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 25, 2024
In another video that is still up, he claimed: “This new law that’s asking hospitals for immigration status is under the guise of trying to get data on how much money we’re spending on undocumented patients.”
Abbott immediately fired back at Pastor’s illegal actions, stating: “Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk. [You] better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order.”
Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk. ou better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order.
https://t.co/g11ot8genv— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 25, 2024
Pastor responded to Abbott’s threat by claiming “freedom of speech,” posting a brief response to the Texas governor on November 26.
“When the gov of Texas threatens you on twitter because he is mad you exercised freedom of speech,” Pastor captioned the TikTok post.
Meanwhile, the Texas Children’s Hospital has issued a press release confirming that it would be following the law, while also claiming that Pastor’s views are his own and do not represent the hospital.
“Texas Children’s fully supports Governor Abbott’s new Executive Order and is in full compliance. We have worked closely with the Texas Hospital Association and our industry partners across the state to ensure compliance in advance of the effective date,” the hospital’s statement read.
“While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children’s hold their own personal views on many topics, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children’s Hospital,” the statement continued. “We will continue to prioritize patient care while ensuring we are in full compliance with all laws and legal directives.”
