Thread: Illegal immigrants use small percentage of state services

(quote)

Report: Illegal immigrants use small percentage of state services

By JON GAMBRELL
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 5:43 PM CDT

LITTLE ROCK - Services offered to illegal immigrants in Arkansas represent only a small portion of state money spent overall, contradicting claims its fast-growing Hispanic population takes more than it gives, according to a report presented to lawmakers Tuesday.

The report to a joint meeting of the House and Senate's state agencies and governmental affairs committees mirrored the results of an August meeting, showing Arkansas paid $170 million a year to educate, imprison and provide services to all immigrants. However, state legislators appeared unconvinced, saying results were incomplete and warning the state could become "a dumping ground" for illegal immigrants as states like Oklahoma and Tennessee passed tough laws against them this year.

"I don't think it's OK to break the law if the state profits," said Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, a critic of illegal immigration. "I think it sends the wrong message."

A report by the Arkansas Department of Health showed it did not asked for proof of citizenship when offering maternity care, newborn screenings, immunizations and other care for diseases. Out of the department's $191 million budget in 2006, illegal immigrants cost the department only $199,000 during the year, officials estimated.

Screening documents would cost the department an additional $1.3 million in staff hours, officials estimated.

That answer did not satisfy Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren.

"What gives the state the authority to spend one tax dollar on people who are breaking the law of the land?" Green asked.

Jodiane Tritt, director of community support at the health department, stressed many of its operations helped stop communicable diseases.

"If you walk in the door and have a communicable disease, it's much less expensive to state dollars if we treat that person for the communicable disease early, rather than the communicable disease spread to us who are legal or who are documented," Tritt said.

The Arkansas Department of Human Services reported 3,445, or roughly 3.5 percent, of the 742,965 who sought maternity care last year were illegal immigrants. The state's Workers' Compensation Commission reported it did not know the effects of illegal immigration, as state law requires benefits be paid out regardless of citizenship. Now, the state sends about $15,000 a year to two widows and their families in Mexico.

The illegal immigration study comes after a legislative session where lawmakers passed only one bill dealing with the issue, as Arkansas' Hispanic population grows at one of the fastest rates in the nation. Census estimates show Arkansas has more than 144,000 Hispanic residents, many living in the northwest corner of the state. Recent studies concluded about half of the state's immigrant population lives in the United States illegally.

Altogether, the estimated state costs _ the majority of which federally mandated education initiatives _ remain a fraction of the group's estimated economic power in Arkansas. A study by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation concluded that state manufacturers and other companies would lose about $1.4 billion in production a year and pay $95 million more for higher wages if illegal immigrants left Arkansas' work force.

Woods acknowledged Arkansas' gains from the work force, but stressed it still remains uncertain how much the state's illegal immigrant population cost them. Woods said the reports might spark legislators to pass laws asking state agencies to keep track of citizenship status of those it aids.

"There's no way to claim victory on either side," Woods said. "You can't say they cost the state or benefit the state."

Legislators said they may hold a third hearing to collect public comments, though some watching Tuesday's committee hearing offered their own opinions, with a man offering a muffled "they cost me my job" at one moment. Another man stood in the back, his anti-illegal immigration T-shirt showing an airbrushed five-pointed silver star with "La Migra" written in the center _ Spanish slang for immigration agents.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)

(quote)

http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/20 ... o57kg1.txt

Psalm 32

manufacturers and other companies would lose about $1.4 billion in production a year and pay $95 million more for higher wages if illegal immigrants left Arkansas' work force.

So they finally said it......they want the CHEAP labor. Having to pay Americans a decent wage is just too much for them to bear. They have to have their obedient slaves.

Why is the state sending these families this kind of money once a year? This does not make any sense to me. Was it because they were deined benefits and they are paying them some kind of back pay or something? Whats the deal here?

Previous related article:

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... highlight=

A report by the Arkansas Department of Health showed it did not asked for proof of citizenship when offering maternity care, newborn screenings, immunizations and other care for diseases. Out of the department's $191 million budget in 2006, illegal immigrants cost the department only $199,000 during the year, officials estimated.

so basically any of the services we know they would have used we didn't check on, but there were some that slid by us.... sorry we couldn't completely lie we knew you wouldn't buy it.

D of Health is most likely in the pocket of rich doctors and hospital execs who want that gov't money to pay for the illegals, more profit for them.

RAGE Against teh Machine was wrong when they said "Hospitals are not profitful, but market bulls got pockets full".

Hospitals are profitable, and are now finding a way to bilk the tax payers for more money.