Fact check: Did NY pass on buying ventilators to fund tuition for undocumented immigrants?

As New York state has become a global hot spot of the coronavirus pandemic, politicians have exchanged barbs, blaming each other for the crisis while allegations spread on social media.

On March 24, Facebook user Mike Proto posted to the public group “Feisty New Haveners Talk Politics” accusing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of declining to stock up on ventilators while supporting education for undocumented immigrants.

“Dear Gov. Cuomo. You had a chance to stock NY hospitals with ventilators 3 years ago. You used the money to give illegal aliens 'free' tuition,” the post reads. “We tried to tell you, nothing’s free. Now it’s Trump’s fault?” The post has over 2,000 likes and 36,000 shares.

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Our ruling: False

It is true that a government-commissioned task force determined that in a severe pandemic scenario New York state would not have enough ventilators to address projected need. But, the task force did not issue direct recommendations for the state to buy any more ventilators. There is also no connection between the task force's work and any provisions for funding education for undocumented immigrants in the state; the most high-profile law on the topic also has no relation to the current issue. We rate this claim FALSE because it is not supported by our research.

https://news.yahoo.com/fact-check-did-ny-pass-165139245.html