Latina Lista: News from the Latinx perspective > Life Issues > Children > Is it really in the best interest of the country to deny health coverage to legal immigrant children?

Is it really in the best interest of the country to deny health coverage to legal immigrant children?

LatinaLista — Unbelievably, the issue of immigration is still being used by some Congressional politicians to prove a point. That they want to make an example of defenseless children who are legal immigrants to continue making their point illustrates their contempt not just for undocumented immigrants but immigrants overall.

But the surprising twist in this new round of immigrant-punishing legislation is that it doesn’t emanate from the House of Representatives, where comprehensive immigration reform failed, but in the Senate.
It seems “Congressional Democrats said they had decided to add a major provision allowing states to restore health insurance benefits to legal immigrants under 21” in the new State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known by the acronym S-CHIP.
Whereas the House Democrats are set to take the bill directly to the floor, that’s not the story in the Senate. “Senate Democratic leaders plan to work through the Finance Committee, led by Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana. Mr. Baucus has drafted a bill similar to the House measure. As of late Monday, his proposal did not include benefits for immigrants.”
In a new administration where the President-elect has made it clear that it’s a new day when it comes to the rights of children, this posturing by the Senate starts the new era in Washington on an old and discriminatory page.


When it comes to the health of children, it is a universal right that all children be provided with health care. Do we not fly in children from all parts of the world who are suffering major illnesses and provide them opportunities to live healthy lives?
What is the difference if the children are legally here and the health opportunities are used to prevent them from suffering worse diseases that could be costly and life threatening?
As of now, legal immigrant children are not eligible to receive S-CHIP for the first five years after they enter the United States. Yet, everyone knows that five years in children’s lives means many changes are occurring within children’s bodies and the importance of vaccines and being treated quickly to prevent health conditions from worsening are imperative.
It is vital that in this worsening economy there is not a further class division created by Congress by barring only certain children from receiving affordable healthcare.
The attitude that fosters the thinking that it’s ok to deprive only certain children from receiving affordable healthcare is an embarrassing reminder of where we used to be as a country — and not where we are going.

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Comment(13)

  • Grandma
    January 13, 2009 at 11:32 pm

    You said: It is vital that in this worsening economy there is not a further class division created by Congress by barring only certain children from receiving affordable healthcare.
    This is not affordable health care. This is FREE health care and as usual, you seem to think that illegals should benefit from it. Just how much more do you want the American taxpayer to pay?

  • Marisa Treviño
    January 14, 2009 at 8:46 am

    Grandma, your response truly disappoints me. I had given you the benefit of the doubt in terms of your feelings not being racist towards undocumented immigrants but you clearly show that you do suffer from racism. How do I know? Never did I say, nor does the text of the children’s health insurance bill say, that this benefits undocumented children. It says LEGAL immigrants. You jumped to a conclusion that is not even on the table. I have to wonder what is it in your experience/background that makes you so adamantly against immigrants on a personal level?

  • Grandma
    January 14, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    Marisa, while I admit that I misread your article and I do apologize, I do have this to offer:
    UPDATE: HUMAN EVENTS received a summary of [HR-2], the SCHIP bill, from Dave Camp (R-Mich.), the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, when it became available at 5:39 this morning. According to the summary released by Camp this morning, the bill would dilute the focus on Americas poorest of children by opening SCHIP to the children of illegal aliens as the bill eliminates the identity-verification requirements in the current law and severely limits what states can do to attain proof of citizenship.
    By the way, I am not against legal immigrants. I am totally against illegal immigration. The US has laws. Entering illegally is against the laws of the US. When you start breaking one law, more than likely you do not respect the rest.

  • Sandra
    January 15, 2009 at 8:17 am

    How can one be “racist” against illegal aliens? Illegal aliens are of all races in this country. That is like stating it is a negative to be opposed to ANY law breakers in this country and labeling it as racism.

  • Texano78704
    January 15, 2009 at 9:08 am

    When you start breaking one law, more than likely you do not respect the rest.
    I agree, we should preemptively arrest everyone who blows through a stop sign, jaywalks, and parks their car in a loading zone. Let’s build more prisons, instead of schools and hospitals!
    /sarcasm
    Immigration is not the only area of American life where a misguided law has collided with reality. In the 1920s and ’30s, Prohibition turned millions of otherwise law-abiding Americans into lawbreakers and spawned an underworld of moon-shining, boot-legging and related criminal activity. (Sound familiar?) We eventually made the right choice to tax and regulate alcohol rather than prohibit it.
    In the 19th century, America’s frontier was settled largely by illegal squatters. In his influential book on property rights, The Mystery of Capital, economist Hernando de Soto describes how these so-called extralegals began to farm, mine and otherwise improve land to which they did not have strict legal title. After failed attempts by the authorities to destroy their cabins and evict them, federal and state officials finally recognized reality, changed the laws, declared amnesty and issued legal documents conferring title to the land the settlers had improved.
    Source

  • indigenous. xicano
    January 15, 2009 at 10:07 am

    UPDATE: HUMAN EVENTS received a summary of [HR-2]…According to the summary…the bill would dilute the focus on Americas poorest of children by opening SCHIP to the children of illegal aliens…”
    Word for word, this update is from the ultra-conservative site “Human Events.”
    It is such a credible site that today’s top story is “Ted Nugent for Drug Czar.”
    I kid you not.
    But is insuring the poorest of the poor the real cause for our health care problems? Does corporate greed play into it? Is having a system of health care that is based on making profits for share holders in the best interest of Americans?
    It is much easier to find scapegoats for those who are the easiest to hate. I would rather find fault with people like William McGuire, the retired CEO of UnitedHeath. His investors were receiving a 30% return. I wonder how many expensive life-saving transplants were denied to reach that rate of return?
    McGuire also walked away with a package that, according to the Economist, could pocket him the obscene total of 1.7 BILLION dollars.
    Yes, that is BILLION.
    Sure could insure a lot of poor people with that package.
    I think grandma is hating on the wrong people.

  • indigenous. xicano
    January 15, 2009 at 11:52 am

    the question posed is: “How can one be “racist” against illegal aliens?
    One of many answers could be: When all Hispanics/Latinos are considered “illegal” by racists and they result in hate crimes against them.
    I am certain that the cowardly racist killers of Jose Sucuzhanay, Marcello Lucero, and Luis Ramirez did not ask for Green cards before fatally beating their victims to death.
    Need more examples or I am going t-o-o f-a-st- f-o-r y-o-u?

  • Grandma
    January 15, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    Word for word, this update is from the ultra-conservative site “Human Events.”
    It is such a credible site that today’s top story is “Ted Nugent for Drug Czar.”
    Did you read the bill? Did you listen to the speeches in the House? I did. Whether Human Events is an ultra-conservative webesite is not the argument. The fact is there is a loop hole and those in the House who oppose is, oppose it for that reason.
    Seems we could insure alot of children with the millions and millions of dollars Obama is paying for his party, part of it funded by the Government, which means WE pay for it.

  • Grandma
    January 15, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    I am certain that the cowardly racist killers of Jose Sucuzhanay, Marcello Lucero, and Luis Ramirez did not ask for Green cards before fatally beating their victims to death.
    Need more examples or I am going t-o-o f-a-st- f-o-r y-o-u?
    Am I going to fast for you?
    Americans who have died because of our unsecured borders
    Below is a partial list of people killed by illegal aliens in our nation.
    All of these deaths were avoidable.
    Note: We are aware of many more deaths caused by illegal aliens in our nation, but have only listed the names for which we can provide a news story that mentions the immigration status of the individual charged.
    Many “journalists” in the mainstream media find it politically incorrect to include the immigration status of the people involved in the story. We regard this intentional omission as unprofessional, biased and unbalanced.
    Here is an example of one story that tells the sad truth about one of the thousands of unecessary tragedies in our nation because our government, at all levels, lacks the will and courage to protect Americans against a privileged group of criminals…illegal aliens.
    We remind the reader that illegal immigration is a crime, as it is to employ, encourage or assist an illegal alien. Read USC Title 8, section 1324 for more information.
    It is heartbreaking to list the many that have perished in the name of cheap labor and open borders.
    We feel that the public has a right to understand the scope of the loss of American lives caused by the intentionally unsecured American borders and the virtually non-existent enforcement of our employment and immigration laws.
    Make no mistake: State and local government have the power and authority to slow and discourage illegal immigration into Georgia.
    We are lucky here in Georgia to have the strongest and most comprehensive law in the nation aimed at illegal employers and aliens. The Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (SB 529), authored by state Senator Chip Rogers and signed into law on April 17, 2006 by Governor Sonny Perdue is already having an effect on people who have chosen to violate existing federal laws.
    Senator Rogers, Governor Perdue and the majority of the General Assembly who voted for the bill should be proud and we as Georgians are grateful for their courage.
    Absent the equal protection under the law promised by the President and federal government, many states are taking a close look at the Georgia legislation and modeling similar bills on what senator Rogers’ has done here in Georgia.
    A heartfelt thanks to all who helped with phone calls, letters and lobbing and attending rallies to get SB 529 passed into law. We have proven that Americans who are aware and active can make a difference in America.
    We hope to add to the current law in the next session of the legislature.
    We hope that doing so will save lives.
    Below our list are links to other sites with more information on deaths and crimes attributed to illegal aliens.
    Like all crimes, illegal immigration has consequences.
    We know this list to be incomplete. If you can provide the name of a victim that we have not yet listed, please contact us.
    (Click on name for news story – a new browser window will open)
    See this article: Illegal aliens murder 12 Americans daily – Death toll in 2006 far overshadows total U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, Afghanistan, by Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily.com, November 28. 2006
    Jesus Manuel-Acosta
    Saul Lopez-Acosta
    Trinidad Castro-Acosta
    Adam Allen
    Antigone Monique Allen
    John R. Barr
    Francisco Bernal
    Jerry Dwane Braswell & Jerry Dwane Braswell Jr.
    Josslyn Dinoso-Brooks
    Kent Boone
    Jennifer Bower
    Officer Phoenix Braithwaite
    Margaret ‘Peggy’ Campbell
    Jennifer Carter
    Cheryl, Ian and Julinna Ceran
    Cleo Virginia Kint
    Bob Clark, director of “A Christmas Story”
    Nayasheika Cooper
    Charlie Derrington
    Jeremia Reyes Diaz
    Breanna Slaughter-Eck Officer Nick Erfle
    Araseli Martinez-Fabela
    Kelly Frye
    Adam Allen-Garcia
    Christine Allen-Garcia
    Joycelyn Gardiner
    Scott Gardiner
    Hester ‘Faye’ Coleman
    Kristian Allen-Garcia
    Officer Hugo Arango
    Deborah Atkinson
    Marc Atkinson
    CHP Officer Gregory Bailey
    Hong Im Ballenger
    Carol Bareis
    Cindy Benitez
    Dr. Claudia Benton
    Kelly Bergen
    Brittany Binger
    Lisa Ann Bourquadez
    Kenneth Bridges
    James L. “Sonny” Buchanan
    Randy Burris
    Officer Lawrence Cadena
    Margaret ‘Peggy’ Campbell
    Joe Cantu
    Melissa Carranza-Contreras
    Ana Cerna
    Min Soon Chang
    Pascal Charlot
    Sister Helen Chaska
    Paco Chavez-Tena
    Frank “Buddy” Cline
    Bret Clodfelter
    Hester “Faye” Coleman
    Joey Cornell
    Joseph Crummy
    Officer Vincent D’Anna
    Kimberly Jo Dahmer
    Mariella Deluna
    Jeremia Reyes Diaz
    Lisa Dilks
    Terry Dilks
    Charlie Derrington
    Chester Dillahunt
    John Doe
    Noemi Dominguez
    Officer Michael Dunman
    Amanda Jean Duran
    Kris Eggle
    Ernest Elliot
    Cosme Encinas-Valenzuela
    Dale Englerth Jose De Jesus Trinidad-Esparza
    Tyler Evans
    Deputy Frank Fabiano Jr.
    Randy Fout
    Luz Maria Franco-Fierros
    Officer Shane Figueroa
    Jose Florino
    Carolyn Frederick
    Deputy Saul Gallegos
    Virginia Garcia
    Gabriel Garcia
    Scott Gardner (additional article, family website)
    Jeff Garrett
    Joseph Geller (additional article)
    Infant child of Amanda Gibbs
    Officer Gary Gryder
    Officer Daniel Howard Golden
    Raffy Gomez
    Karlo Gonzalez
    Zabdiel Gonzalez
    Justin Goodman
    Tony Grier
    Patricia Guntharp
    Stephen Heiss
    Israel Hernandez
    Vinessa Hoera
    Wayne Hughes and Michelle Hughes
    Officer Brian Jackson
    Patricia Henneken
    Kimberley Hope
    Natalie Housand
    Dustin Inman
    Daniel Irwin
    Hunter Javens
    Jesse Javens
    Lola Jayne
    Janette Jimenez
    Conrad Johnson
    Officer Rodney Johnson
    Kathryn L. Jones
    Peggy Keller
    Amy Marie Kortlang
    Amy Kortlang
    Marten Kudlis
    Allison Kunhardt
    Jasmine Lawrence
    Emilia Lee
    James Lee
    Felix Leon
    Ben Leonard
    Officer Loren Lilly
    Christina Long
    Daniel D. Longoria
    Laurie Lynn Lorenzen
    Christopher Maier
    Dominic Malegni
    Deputy David March
    Dorothy Marciniszyn
    Miguel Marquez-Vargas
    James Martin
    Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews
    Reginald McEachin
    Helen Meghan
    Chief of Police Ernest V. Mendoza
    Amber Merkl
    Dean Harold Meyers
    Michael Mignogna
    Chris Miller
    Arnulfo Morales
    George Morber, Sr.
    Ruben Morfin
    Oscar Mosqueda
    Alex Munoz
    David Nadel
    Ruben Najera
    Mary Nagle
    Tanee Natividad
    Rasheen Newkirk
    Emilee Olson
    Leonarda Dubon Ramos
    Sarah Ramos
    Jose Riascos
    Mary Richey
    Frederick Rickabaugh
    Oscar Rios
    Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera
    Shawn Michael Robinson
    James F. Rogers Jr.
    James and Margie Rook
    Lori and Adrian Roundtree
    Riley Rutherford
    Mary Sadler
    Guadalupe Sanchez
    Emily Sander Michael Seitz
    Gary Selby
    Debra Serecky
    Juan Serrano
    Christopher Shackleford
    Gissela Silvestre
    Dacus Lamont Sims
    Karen Sirnic
    Reverend Norman J. “Skip” Sirnic
    George Smith
    Travis Smith
    Lt. James Lee Sunderland
    Michael Sprinkles
    Reed Stevens
    Michael Stowe
    Andrew Stear
    William Sullo III
    Gary Thureson
    Kelly Tracy
    Tessa Tranchant
    Unnamed victim
    Unnamed victim
    Unnamed victim
    Francisco Marquez-Vargas
    Mario Enrique Villanueva
    Wendy VonHuben
    Prem Kumar Walekar
    Paul B. Watry
    Cheryl Williams
    Gail Williams
    Sean and Donna Wilson
    Louella Winton
    Christopher Woodby
    Detective Donald Young
    Thomas Youngstafel
    Officer Tony Zeppetella

  • indigenous. xicano
    January 16, 2009 at 6:06 am

    Grandma offered “Whether Human Events is an ultra-conservative webesite is not the argument.
    It is a main ingredient of your argument which you taint with inflammatory speech.”…the bill would dilute the focus on Americas poorest of children by opening SCHIP to the children of illegal aliens” is the hate rhetoric offered at this ultra conservative site.
    It is mean spirited to deny a child in need medical care. I do not mind if my tax dollars are spent to insure ALL children.I do mind when they are used to bail out greedy CEOs.
    Grandma, I think you are hating on the wrong people.

  • horace
    January 16, 2009 at 11:46 am

    Free health care is nothing but a form of welfare. Our immigration laws are set up to preclude the dependence of the prospective citizen’s proclivity to become a dependent upon the nation’s welfare system. Why then would we permit the immigration of those who would be unable to pay for their own health care? Why, as a citizen would I support my congressmen and senators in setting up a program that would permit what would amount to giving welfare to new arrivals. Isn’t 5 years a decent interval? I say yes.
    This is just another of Marisa’s and Democrat’s tendency to develop the welfare state to the extreme.

  • Michaela
    January 18, 2009 at 2:09 am

    indigenous. xicano
    “I am certain that the cowardly racist killers of Jose Sucuzhanay, Marcello Lucero, and Luis Ramirez did not ask for Green cards before fatally beating their victims to death.”
    There are PLENTY of cowardly racist Hispanic killers of WHITE people in our country as Grandma pointed out. So far there are thousands. Does that make you sad for Americans Indigenous or does it make you laugh with sadistic glee?

  • Sandra
    January 22, 2009 at 4:29 pm

    I have nothing against providing emergency care for anyone no matter what their status is in this country but I draw the line at providing illegal alien children with basic healthcare when many of our own U.S. children don’t even have it.

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