Illegal Immigration and Health Care
With the economy of the United States in shambles, illegal immigration and the effects it has on health care can no longer be ignored. America has a whole needs to be concerned and well informed of the issues rather than collecting information piecemeal by way of media or other biased groups. If illegal immigration stays its present course the American tax-payer will continue to fund the well being of individuals who have broken federal rules and regulations and are being supported by law abiding citizens. This argument is not about individual rights to live and prosper. It is not about race or discrimination of any sort. It is only about the effects on health care that I am addressing.
California has been plagued by budget deficiencies in recent years. Layoffs have been rampant as well as public service spending. According the governor, “The state was unable to balance the budget because of money spent on illegal immigrants” (Jacobsen 71). If this is the case, why has their not been an immediate demand for reform concerning illegal immigration? Jacobsen continues, “Services such as providing dental care to poor women and the elderly, treatment for drug-addicted pregnant women, and prenatal care in general would need to be cut because of the costs associated with illegal immigration” (71). When immigrants come across the border illegally, they directly affect health care for American citizens. This should not be tolerated and reform should be implemented as quickly as possible. Reimers states that “curbing illegal immigration could save $280 over the course of a decade” (97). The amount of money being spent on illegal immigrants is massive. Not only that but the conservative re...
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...uires distinguishing the categories of persons we desire to admit and setting minimal criteria for their admission” (155). Minimal is the keyword.
As it stands the process for citizenship is arduous to say the least. We must go back to an earlier era such as the where boatloads of immigrants would arrive in New York. They would stand in line for hours if not days to get documented and obtain legal status. Few were turned away. If we did the same for our southern neighbors everyone would be in the system and would contribute to our society by way of consumers, laborers and tax-payers. Americans would then recognize Mexican immigrants not as invaders, but as a fellow human beings, contributors, and citizens of the United States. Health Care would no longer be burdened and aid could be given without breaking the backs of both government and tax-payer alike.
... 2002. Mexican immigrants use about $250 million in social services such as Medicaid and food stamps and another $31 million in uncompensated health care, that leaves a profit of $319 million” (218). But should we still allow people to put their lives at risk?
One of the most controversial topics in the United States in recent years has been the route which should be undertaken in overhauling the healthcare system for the millions of Americans who are currently uninsured. It is important to note that the goal of the Affordable Care Act is to make healthcare affordable; it provides low-cost, government-subsidized insurance options through the State Health Insurance Marketplace (Amadeo 1). Our current president, Barack Obama, made it one of his goals to bring healthcare to all Americans through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. This plan, which has been termed “Obamacare”, has come under scrutiny from many Americans, but has also received a large amount of support in turn for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include a decrease in insurance discrimination on the basis of health or gender and affordable healthcare coverage for the millions of uninsured. The opposition to this act has cited increased costs and debt accumulation, a reduction in employer healthcare coverage options, as well as a penalization of those already using private healthcare insurance.
The United States was formed by the immigration of many people from all over the world. Americans take pride in knowing that we are a people of vast ethnic backgrounds and culture. However, at the present time, the flow of illegal immigration, as well as a large influx of other legal immigrants is placing a strain on our land of "huddled masses." Legal immigration to the United States can easily be handled and is welcomed by most Americans. However, the flow of illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico, must be stemmed, due to the strain it is placing on the government, (at the local, state and federal level), as well as the general population. Illegal immigrants are costing the United States over 24 billion dollars a year in taxpayers money (National Review 12.13.93). Something must be done to reduce the flow of illegal immigration into the United States. The focus of this paper will be the problems caused by and possible solutions to the problem of illegal immigration.
There are an estimated 11.1 million undocumented immigrants currently residing in the United States. The current healthcare model pertains to all U.S citizens, but what are the parameters and regulations regarding those who live here illegally? The purpose of this paper is to not only answer this question, but also to address concerns regarding the provision of health care benefits, rights, and our ethical responsibilities to this population.
Leighton Ku (2009) researched the lack of health care for immigrants in the United States. Ku stated that “The high costs of health care and the erosion of health insurance coverage are two important long-term challenges that confront all Americans but these problems are especially acute for immigrants
For many Mexican immigrants, crossing the border into the land of freedom and the American dream is no easy task. Some immigrants come over illegally by means of hiding in cars to cross borders, using visitor visas to stay longer, marrying to become citizens, and having babies as ‘anchors’ to grant automatic citizenship. Other immigrants gain green cards and work visas and work their way into becoming US citizens legally and subsequently gaining citizenship through paperwork for their families back home. After escaping harsh living and working conditions in Mexico, immigrants come to America prepared to gain education, opportunity, and work. This American dream unfortunately does not come to pass for most.
Illegal immigration has been an ongoing problem in America for many decades. The form of law that currently governs the immigration process is, the Immigration and Naturalization Act, and it has been broken for many years as immigrants still continue to pour into the states illegally. The immigration acts enacted in the past that have been continuously modified leads up to the current policy that falls under the Incrementalism model. However, it is important to note that the current American Immigration system is broken and is in dire need of reform. There are 11 million people living in the dark and too many employers cheating the system by hiring undocumented workers in exchange for offering lesser pay. The current system is hurting the economy and bringing down our country as a whole.
America is known for democracy, freedom, and the American Dream. American citizens have the right to free speech, free press, the right to bear arms, and the right to religious freedom to name a few. The Declaration of Independence states that American citizens have the rights including “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” America promises equality and freedom and the protection of their rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. But with all the rights and freedoms that American citizens enjoy, there is one particular area where the United States seems to be lacking. That area is health care. The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t have some form of legal recognition of a right to health care (Yamin 1157). Health care reform in the United States has become a major controversy for politicians, health care professionals, businesses, and citizens. Those in opposition to reform claim that health care is not a human right, therefore the government should not be involved. Supporters of reform believe that health care is most definitely a human right and should be available to everyone in the United States instead of only those who can afford it, and that it is the government’s responsibility to uphold that right.
Let’s envision that you were kicked out of somewhere you referred to as home, solely because people assume you don’t belong? Rather than be given a path to belong. This is a current issue, people ruling over and kicking out those who “don’t belong”, but why? Instead how about we join forces and give everyone a chance to become equal, as we should be. For the following reasons, undocumented immigrants should get a “path to citizenship”. They deserve to become citizens because America is a country of immigrants, immigrants improve the economy, and it costs too much to deport them.
In recent years, the number of Americans who are uninsured has reached over 45 million citizens, with millions more who only have the very basic of insurance, effectively under insured. With the growing budget cuts to medicaid and the decreasing amount of employers cutting back on their health insurance options, more and more americans are put into positions with poor health care or no access to it at all. At the heart of the issue stems two roots, one concerning the morality of universal health care and the other concerning the economic effects. Many believe that health care reform at a national level is impossible or impractical, and so for too long now our citizens have stood by as our flawed health-care system has transformed into an unfixable mess. The good that universal healthcare would bring to our nation far outweighs the bad, however, so, sooner rather than later, it is important for us to strive towards a society where all people have access to healthcare.
28 Sep 2011. Madeline Pelner Cosman. Illegal Immigrants Threaten U.S. Health Care. At Issue: What Rights? Should Illegal Immigrants Have?
For over ten years, efforts to make changes to the United States immigration system have been put aside due to wars, attacks within our homeland and even worldwide financial crisis but it seems as though this being brought up more and more often. The history of the US immigration policy was more concerned with immigration enforcement over immigration reform. It was not until a few years ago that the US citizens voted they were tired of enforcement-only immigration policies and the pain they caused on immigrant families. So most feel now is the time to draw up new immigration laws that reflect American values and beliefs, and it ne...
There are several schools of thought on the issue, but two of them seem to stand out in our Nation’s ongoing efforts to find a solution to illegal immigrants entering the country, and those who are already living in the country, many of whom have been here for a number of years and have had children born as United States Citizens.
Throughout history, and even today, people around the world have been taught that the United States is a melting pot of different ethnicities, belief systems, and cultures. America has had many attempts at immigration reform, with policies such as the DREAM Act or President Obama’s immigration executive orders. While these policies had excellent intentions, many of them have fallen short in providing the proper reformation this country needs. Borders are important, and it should be required for everyone in the country to pay taxes, but immigration reform is necessary if the United States is to continue being the great power it has always been. Immigration reform needs to be pushed through Congress to the President’s desk.
Immigration is one of the most political and economic issues been raised by the states. Most of the financial burdens for social services fall largely on the states and local governments through their entitlement programs which are over weighing the budgets.