Just weeks after some Colorado members of Congress publicly called on our state to stop hemorrhaging scarce Medicaid dollars on illegal immigration, the state’s attorney general instead has decided to double down on the red ink.

AG Phil Weiser’s office announced Tuesday that he has signed onto yet another lawsuit by his fellow Democratic attorneys general in other states against the Trump administration — this time, to block an effort by the administration to clear Medicaid rolls of illegal immigrants.

Medicaid really does need urgent care — and Weiser’s response is to let it bleed.

The joint, federal-state-funded health care program for the poor is becoming a budget buster for Colorado — due in part to our state’s extension of Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants. Gov. Jared Polis might even call a special legislative session to address it.

Colorado in fact provides coverage to about 18,000 illegal immigrants through the programs OmniSalud and Cover All Coloradans, according to research by Colorado Politics and Denver7 News. The coverage of illegal immigrants alone costs taxpayers more than $70 million annually.

As we noted here last week, Colorado’s extension of Medicaid to illegal immigrants burdens a system meant to serve our most vulnerable citizens. Medicaid’s purpose is to provide a safety net for low-income and disabled Americans who lack other options.

OmniSalud and Cover All Coloradans cost Colorado $20 million and $50 million respectively. Shouldn’t those limited dollars be used to bolster care for Colorado’s seniors and kids in need?

The extension of coverage also is straining the services of safety-net providers who treat Medicaid patients. Given a limited pool of such clinics and other providers, the deluge of new beneficiaries bogs them down and increases wait times.

Weiser’s latest bid in court, however, seems more concerned with keeping illegal immigrants in Colorado at all costs — on the taxpayers’ tab.

The lawsuit filed by Weiser and the other AGs takes on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over its decision to provide individual health data on Medicaid recipients to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A news release from Weiser’s office suggests the data will be used, “to create a sweeping database for mass deportations and other large-scale immigration enforcement purposes.” Yet, Weiser’s office acknowledges Trump administration claims it shared the data only, “to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them.”

Sounds like the administration is taking care of business, at last.

Weiser and his cohorts are now going to court on a hair splitter over the administration’s power to rein in Medicaid when, as the release contends, “it is Congress that extended coverage and federal funds for emergency Medicaid to all individuals residing in the United States, regardless of immigration status.”

Of course, that issue might be rendered moot by the “big, beautiful bill” now pending on Capitol Hill in Washington. Its provisions include a curtailment of Medicaid for illegal immigrants.

Realigning Colorado’s Medicaid spending priorities accordingly should be the focus of our state’s elected leadership — not suing to stop a long-overdue attempt to prioritize Medicaid in Washington.

Weiser asserts in the news release, “We’re suing to protect Colorado’s Medicaid program and the health and welfare of the people it serves.”

How about the health and welfare of the program that serves them? It’s on the brink largely because Colorado’s elected leaders decided to feed, shelter and provide medical care to the world — when there’s plenty of need right here at home.

The gazette editorial board