NYC Councilwoman Gale Brewer Demands Free Dental For Migrants, Says She’s Spent Up To $10K Of Her Own Money

New York City Councilwoman Gale Brewer stunned city health officials at a May 23 budget hearing by demanding free dental care for illegal immigrants — while revealing she has personally spent between $8,000 and $10,000 to cover their dental bills.

“Forget the dental! I’m already out $8,000–$10,000 on the dental,” Brewer said at the hearing, according to the New York Post. “So who is paying attention to them?” (RELATED: NYC Progressives Preparing To Let Non-Citizens Vote)

Lefty NYC Councilwoman Gale Brewer demanding free dental care for illegal migrants: ‘I’m already out $8,000-$10,000’ https://t.co/jlioyoFxIJ pic.twitter.com/tu5m01PcPZ

— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) May 31, 2025

Brewer, a longtime liberal stalwart representing Manhattan’s Upper West Side, told The Post that she’s been paying for dental procedures — including root canals and fillings — for young asylum seekers she’s come to know closely. She also called on the NYC Health Department to better inform migrants about what free health benefits are already available.

“Those guys you see driving those mobile e-bikes, they all have [city-funded health insurance]… but they don’t know what to do with it,” Brewer said during the hearing. She said many migrants are unaware they qualify for programs like NYC Care, which provides healthcare regardless of immigration status.

The NYC Health Department responded that it would work with the city hospital system to better educate migrants about the services offered through the NYC Care program. Migrants applying for asylum, as well as minors, seniors, and pregnant women, are eligible for coverage, but dental care is often excluded from public programs — even for American citizens.

Critics were quick to question Brewer’s priorities. “What is she doing about the healthcare needs of her community?” asked one unnamed source quoted by the Post. “Plenty of New Yorkers also lack medical coverage.”

This isn’t the first time Brewer has raised eyebrows during city budget discussions. At a March hearing, she demanded that inmates at Rikers Island be fed “farm-to-table” meals similar to those served at high-end Manhattan restaurants.

Despite earning $148,500 annually, Brewer’s willingness to fund migrants’ dental procedures out-of-pocket reflects her deep involvement. “These are young guys. They’re pretty lost,” she told The Post. “This is nothing new for me.”