Bush Administration Pushes For Flu Shots For Illegal Immigrants
The WSOC TV News (Charlotte, NC), November 28, 2006
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/10416202/detail.html

Washington -- The Bush Administration has indicated it wants doctors, clinics, and hospitals to provide flu immunizations to illegal immigrants. At our EXPENSE should be added here.

In an interview with WSOC-TV, Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt was asked if the federal government has any safeguards to prevent illegal immigrants from catching the flu. Leavitt responded by saying doctors should give flu shots to 'every person'. Secretary Leavitt said, 'Most health departments in the country will provide a vaccination for anyone. Our purpose is to vaccinate every person who wants a flu vaccine – we're hoping to increase the numbers of those who want to have the flu vaccination.'

Leavitt’s public statement has drawn harsh reaction today from critics of the Administration’s immigration policy. 'On its face, it’s going to strike a majority of Americans as an outrage, because this is a population that’s here without the sanctioning of the U.S. government,' said John Keeley, spokesman for the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies. 'It’s now Bush Administration policy, and a directive to healthcare providers, to administer flu shots (to illegal immigrants).'