Should Illegal Immigrants Have Access to Health Care?

Each year millions of illegal and undocumented immigrants enter the United States, most from Latin American countries, such as Mexico. Mexico is the largest single source of undocumented aliens in the U.S. and it is estimated that Mexican nationals may amount to 50% of the United States total. Immigrants flee their countries for a variety of reasons, such as, political repression, economic hardship, war, and poverty. Since there has been a spike in immigration, there have been policies implemented in an effort to keep the “other” out of the U.S. and from receiving public services, with an emphasis on “dark-skinned” and ethnic minorities. One such policy called the Personal Responsibility Act of 1996 and its amendments restricted federal and state benefits available to undocumented immigrants. Opponents argue that illegal immigrants do not have a right to public healthcare because they do not contribute to the tax system and place a drain on the healthcare system’s resources. Supporters of illegal immigrants receiving healthcare argue that healthcare is a universal right and should not be denied to a person based on citizenship status. Providing healthcare and other public services to illegal immigrants, despite costs, are beneficial to the American community.
It is ironic that America is traditionally anti-immigration, although most Americans themselves are not far removed from their immigrant ancestors. American history, however, is replete with examples of bigotry and hatred directed towards those who are illegal immigrants. Americans have such negative attitudes toward illegal immigrants because they do not want people coming into the country that they will have to take care of. Walter Trattner affirms that in the early colonial days (17th century) of American society colonies used to have “warning away laws” which prohibited strangers from entering certain colonies and staying long periods of time. In order to stay in a certain colony, one would have to be

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