By MARY SANCHEZ
The Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Star
God bless Joe Wilson, the Republican congressman from South Carolina. He was acting the clown the other night when he heckled President Obama, but out of his foolishness perhaps a lesson might be learned.
“Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.” Sorry, Joe. In other words, no federal funds will be spent to subsidize the insurance of anybody in this country illegally. Federal funds will go to emergency medical services, and those services will be available to the undocumented, but they already are.
“Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States.” Sorry, Joe. In other words, no federal funds will be spent to subsidize the insurance of anybody in this country illegally. Federal funds will go to emergency medical services, and those services will be available to the undocumented, but they already are.
To reach Mary Sanchez,
call 816-234-4752 or
send e-mail to msanchez@kcstar.com
Below is information on the cost of illegal aliens to you and me.
In 2002 alone, the last year with figures released by the Social Security Administration, nine million W-2's with incorrect Social Security numbers landed in the suspense file, accounting for $56 billion in earnings, or about 1.5 percent of total reported wages.
There are several major costs that illegal immigrants incur in the United States: enforcement, hospitals, prisons, unemployment, and welfare.
There are several major costs that illegal immigrants incur in the United States: enforcement, hospitals, prisons, unemployment, and welfare.
HOSPITALS
Los Angeles County’s emergency rooms are overburdened by the uninsured and overwhelmed by illegal immigration. Sixty percent of the county's uninsured patients are not U.S. citizens, and more than half are here illegally
Among the woes bedeviling Golden State hospitals: (As of 2005)
Nine of California's 450 hospitals closed in 2004, and more than 70 have closed in the past decade.
Half of the state's hospitals are losing money, with an average operating margin of negative 0.75 percent.
The state has the highest rate of uninsured in the nation, hovering near 20 percent. At the same time, Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid, is a target of legislative budget cuts.
Strict nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, legislated at the pressure of the aggressive California Nurses Association, are giving hospitals fits.
State-mandated, but not state-financed, retrofitting of hospital buildings vulnerable to earthquakes looms as a financial crisis. Fourteen L.A. County hospitals with emergency rooms have closed since 1998. (2008)
Los Angeles County’s emergency rooms are overburdened by the uninsured and overwhelmed by illegal immigration. Sixty percent of the county's uninsured patients are not U.S. citizens, and more than half are here illegally
Among the woes bedeviling Golden State hospitals: (As of 2005)
Nine of California's 450 hospitals closed in 2004, and more than 70 have closed in the past decade.
Half of the state's hospitals are losing money, with an average operating margin of negative 0.75 percent.
The state has the highest rate of uninsured in the nation, hovering near 20 percent. At the same time, Medi-Cal, the state's version of Medicaid, is a target of legislative budget cuts.
Strict nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, legislated at the pressure of the aggressive California Nurses Association, are giving hospitals fits.
State-mandated, but not state-financed, retrofitting of hospital buildings vulnerable to earthquakes looms as a financial crisis. Fourteen L.A. County hospitals with emergency rooms have closed since 1998. (2008)
PRISONS
Illegal immigrants are, by definition, breaking the law by being in the United States.
Illegal immigrants are, by definition, breaking the law by being in the United States.
For example, there are about 50,000 criminal aliens in federal prisons right now. But there are about 75,000 in state prisons and 150,000 in local jails.Do the math. That's roughly $6 billion plus $27 billion, for a whopping $33 billion just for room and board for two-time offenders – illegal aliens who committed criminal violations after they broke immigration laws.
UNEMPLOYMENT
It is estimated that 40% of illegal immigrants are actually unemployed. This not only has a cost effect from unemployment benefits, crime, and welfare, but it also means that nearly half of the illegal immigrant population actually is not making money, producing anything, or taking low-cost jobs to benefit Americans in any way.
WELFARE
Over 300,000 pregnant women cross the border annually (or simply become pregnant in the US) according to the Center for Immigration Studies, and with "anchor babies" born as citizens in the US, costing $7,161.00 per child in education from K-12 alone. This total cost exceeds $109 billion annually, and grows each cycle of anchor babies born.
It is estimated that 40% of illegal immigrants are actually unemployed. This not only has a cost effect from unemployment benefits, crime, and welfare, but it also means that nearly half of the illegal immigrant population actually is not making money, producing anything, or taking low-cost jobs to benefit Americans in any way.
WELFARE
Over 300,000 pregnant women cross the border annually (or simply become pregnant in the US) according to the Center for Immigration Studies, and with "anchor babies" born as citizens in the US, costing $7,161.00 per child in education from K-12 alone. This total cost exceeds $109 billion annually, and grows each cycle of anchor babies born.
