Official: Immigrant's Sponsor Responsible for Medical Bills

Posted: Apr 2, 2013 8:44 PM
Updated: Apr 2, 2013 9:13 PM

HIDALGO COUNTY - A Weslaco resident is at odds with her immigration sponsor because that person will not pay her medical bills.

The woman said her mother-in-law sponsored her so she could come legally to the United States. By doing so, she agreed to be responsible for any medical costs she incurred.

Veronica Millan has been hospitalized numerous times for a traumatic brain injury. The medical bills are stacking up, Millan's sister said.

"They call Veronica a lot of times," Yadira Millan said. She said her sister cannot pay the bills.

Yadira Millan said she can't pay the bills either.

"She's been here for 20 years," Yadira Millan said.

The sisters said Veronica Millan's mother-in-law sponsored her and thus is responsible for her bills.

A CHANNEL 5 NEWS contacted Veronica Millan's mother-in-law to get her side of the story.

"I don't want to get involved in that. I don't have time for that and I don't want to get involved," the woman said during a telephone conversation.

Still, the responsibility falls on her, Hidalgo County Health Director Eddie Olivarez said.

"A lot of people need to understand ... when you take on the responsibility of sponsoring someone from another country, it is a responsibility," Olivarez said.

Those rules mean the county can't help, Olivarez said.

Sponsors are responsible for a person until that person becomes a U.S. citizen, works long enough to become a citizen, is deported from the country or dies.

http://www.krgv.com/news/official-im...medical-bills/