Thread: IN: State study of immigration fraught with complications

State study of immigration fraught with complications
Result must be humane and politically viable.

A column by Kevin Leininger of The News-Sentinel

Indiana’s Medicaid program spent about $18 million on emergency services for illegal immigrants in 2006 - most of it on health care for mothers giving birth to children who automatically became full-fledged U.S. citizens.

If that complication wasn’t enough to doom this year’s attempt to address the situation in the Indiana General Assembly, pressure from business interests and ethnic lobbyists was.

So an area legislator is only too aware of the very large bull’s-eye on his back as he prepares to co-chair a committee charged with studying illegal immigration’s effect on Indiana - and with crafting a humane, effective and politically viable response to a problem not of its making and largely beyond its control.

“I always go into things with optimism, and maybe we’ll be able to reach consensus on some points,â€

[quote]
“We need good, hard numbers on the effect on our schools, welfare, crime. How many do we have? How many people have been denied jobs (that went to illegal immigrants)?â€

Indiana’s Medicaid program spent about $18 million on emergency services for illegal immigrants in 2006 - most of it on health care for mothers giving birth to children who automatically became full-fledged U.S. citizens.

Illegal invaders should not be receiving free prenatal health care. Having a baby is not an emergency!!! If they want to have anchor babies, let them pay for it out of their own pockets! There is nothing "inhumane" about requiring illegals to pay for their own prenatal care and delivery costs if they want to have children!

Of course the "Political" ramifications may be another story, especially if your an elected official who is terrified of offending hispanics that may perceive such legislation as cruel. Tough luck! Grow some stones and get on with it!

On a positive note, atleast the state of Indiana is starting to ask some questions, which leads me to believe they recognize there is a serious problem with illegals and the benefits they receive in this country!

Hopefully, some meaningful legislation can come of this