http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06210/709593-85.stm

Illegal aliens avoid spotlight
Man in Dormont case highlights challenges
Saturday, July 29, 2006

By David Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



The last thing most illegal immigrants want is what Noe Lopez-Vilchis received July 20 when he almost drowned in the Dormont Pool: Attention.

Local officials who help the legal and illegal Latino immigrant population from Mexico, Central and South America say undocumented immigrants, as they prefer calling illegal aliens, strive to stay under the radar to avoid deportation to their native country.

Illegal immigrants don't seek government assistance or rely on social services. Yet, they often pay taxes to put them in good standing if and when they do seek citizenship. Social workers advise them to get a tax identification number and pay the taxes.

But if they become sick or injured, the last option is to seek professional medical care. Mr. Lopez-Vilchis' situation explains why.

County police said Mr. Lopez-Vilchis is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Three other Mexicans with him at the pool were detained by the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, formerly Immigration and Naturalization Services.

The agency could not be reached for comment.

The priority continues to be Mr. Lopez-Vilchis' health. He remained in critical condition yesterday at Mercy Hospital.

But should he recover, he'll face further consequence of his near drowning.

His accident occurred at a time when illegal immigration is a hot national issue, putting immigration officials on full alert.

"I think they are becoming tougher in enforcement and in detaining people who shouldn't be detained, and quite frankly they are wasting taxpayer money," said Valerie May of the May Law Group, a Pittsburgh law firm that specializes in immigration law. Ms. May said immigration officials are even using technicalities in the law to detain some immigrants who are otherwise legal.

Little is known about Mr. Lopez-Vilchis.

But church, legal and social agency officials who provide services to immigrants, legal or otherwise, detail a potentially challenging scenario facing him if he returns to full health.

Likely he will be deported to Mexico if he cannot verify he's in the United States legally.

The man, who most likely was working for low wages to help his family, also could face a sizable medical bill from Mercy Hospital.

If he follows the example set by other illegal immigrants, he will opt for a payment plan, even if it is a nominal monthly amount. He could end up paying the debt the rest of his life. That way, if he does seek U.S. citizenship, an unpaid medical bill will not stand as a strike against him.

"No undocumented person is eligible for any [medical or health assistance] plan," said Sister Janice Vanderneck, pastoral assistant for the Latino Catholic Community of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. "Sometimes the hospital will agree to accept $20 a month. Generally [local hospitals] are reasonable. Most will work out a payment plan."

She said the highest healthcare bill she ever saw for an undocumented immigrant was $20,000. "We had a guy recently doing a handyman job, and he was using an electrical saw and cut his foot badly," Sister Vanderneck said. "He was self-treating it because he was afraid to seek medical care."

She said he finally was persuaded to seek hospital treatment. He did so, but it resulted in a bill of several thousand dollars.

Shannon Radigan, spokeswoman for Mercy Hospital, said hospital officials provide financial counseling and assistance for patients who don't have the means to pay hospital bills.

Sister Vanderneck said about 20,000 Spanish-speaking immigrants live in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Based on national averages, she said, about a quarter of them, or about 5,000, are illegal aliens.

Because the Latino birthrate is higher than that of other ethnic minorities and the population in general, she said, the Latino community likely will continue to grow in the region.

She said most Latino workers take jobs citizens don't want, and that usually involves cleanup jobs in construction, landscaping and even in restaurants, where they typically are employed washing dishes.

The average wage among Latino workers is $7 an hour, but some work for $2 or $3 an hour, Sister Vanderneck said.

The region benefits from the Latino population, she said.

"They have strong values and work values and believe in family and faith. Those here without documents faced political repression and dire poverty. That is why they are here," Sister Vanderneck said.

When people see family members starving, she said, they do whatever they must do, including entering the United States illegally, to earn money and provide food for their family, she said.

But Pittsburgh remains ill prepared to deal with people who speak only Spanish. Local health-care facilities, doctors, lawyers, tax collectors and government offices typically do not have people available who speak Spanish.

As a result, she and other volunteers in the diocese program that helps immigrants "go everywhere to translate." She said she's seeking more volunteers to help with the effort.

Local hospitals, including Mercy Hospital, have standing contracts with companies that provide translation services for any language. Hospitals also use people on staff who speak second languages to do translation.

Sister Vanderneck said Mr. Lopez-Vilchis's plight sheds light on the challenges illegal immigrants face in a society that welcomes them as a cheap labor, but looks the other way when they run into trouble.

Current immigration law has created a system that has led to abuse of workers who find themselves in a powerless situation, Sister Vanderneck said.

As an example, she detailed a case where a local landscaper refused to pay illegal Mexican workers after they completed a job. When the workers showed up to collect their wages, the employer called police. The men were arrested and deported.


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(David Templeton can be reached at dtempleton@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1578. )