Why are liberals seeking some health-care access for illegal immigrants?”
Fearful that they’re losing ground on immigration and health care, a group of House Democrats is pushing back and arguing that any health care bill should extend to all legal immigrants and allow illegal immigrants some access. The Democrats, trying to stiffen their party’s spines on the contentious issue, say it’s unfair to bar illegal immigrants from paying their own way in a government-sponsored exchange. Legal immigrants, they say, regardless of how long they’ve been in the United States, should be able to get government-subsidized health care if they meet the other eligibility requirements. “Legal permanent residents should be able to purchase their plans, and they should also be eligible for subsidies if they need it. Undocumented, if they can afford it, should be able to buy their own private plans. It keeps them out of the emergency room,” said Rep. Michael M. Honda, California Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Mr. Honda was joined by mor
Some religious groups are seeking health care for illegal immigrants. NPR reports: “In the Hispanic community, there are issues in the debate over health care that spill over into the debate over immigration policy.” NPR interviews Rev. Luis Cortes Jr., president and CEO of a national network of 12,000 churches, ministries and community-based organizations called Esperanza, to discuss the reaction in the Hispanic community to the debate about health care reform: “Well, the entire issue of health care reform, the last few days has fallen into a conversation about what we’re going to do with legal immigrants and undocumented people. And some political leaders on both sides of the isle, I must say, are putting forth ideas such as even if you are a legal immigrant, in other words, you have your documents, you cannot get health care, which is as un-American as you can get when you’re saying someone is totally legal, their children are citizens. But if you haven’t been, you still cannot buy
Liberals Seek Health Care Access for Illegals A group of House Democrats say it’s unfair to bar illegal immigrants from paying their own way in a government-sponsored exchange The Democrats, trying to stiffen their party’s spines on the contentious issue, say it’s unfair to bar illegal immigrants from paying their own way in a government-sponsored exchange. Legal immigrants, they say, regardless of how long they’ve been in the United States, should be able to get government-subsidized health care if they meet the other eligibility requirements.
