New Bill Targets Illegal Immigrant Health Care Costs
Dena Richardson
Posted: 8:40 pm MST November 4, 2009
Updated: 9:52 pm MST November 4, 2009

EL PASO, Texas -- Legislation introduced in Congress Wednesday attempts to pass the bill for illegal immigrants' health care to their country of origin.

Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio, introduced the bill saying it will save the U.S. billions in health care costs for illegal immigrants. The bill calls for deducting the cost of illegal immigrants' health care from the foreign aid their home countries would normally receive from the U.S.

"We can essentially send them a bill," said Space.

The money deducted from foreign aid would go to the border patrol, not the hospitals or health care systems treating illegal immigrants.

"Those funds then will be applied to border security to help our borders and help eliminate or help stop the bleeding when it comes to illegal immigration," said Space.

Some El Pasoans support the proposed bill.

"All the money that is being used to take care of illegal immigrants or people coming over here to use our facilities, I think the money needs to go to our border patrol," said Sarah Garcia, of west El Paso.

Others hope the bill does not pass.

"I don't think I agree with what he's saying," said Yvette Sanchez, of west El Paso. "Because regardless of whether they're illegal or not, they're human beings. They need medical attention."

Space said a lot of the details about the bill still need to be worked out, and at this time, he has no actual figures on how much money the bill could save taxpayers.

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