Opinion Froma Harrop- Creators Syndicate
The conservative economist Milton Friedman famously said, “You can’t have free immigration and a welfare state.” He was right. You can’t flood our labor markets with illegal workers paying little in taxes — and provide good government benefits for everyone.
But perhaps the opposite is also true. Perhaps you can’t have open borders if you have a high level of benefits.
That’s the case in Canada and much of Europe. Canada has a large immigration program and guaranteed health care for everyone, including foreigners who are legal residents. Canada does not tolerate illegal immigration. It can’t afford to extend its expensive benefits to people who don’t belong there.
Conservative politicians often portray government programs as a magnet to illegal aliens, but almost never as an incentive to enforce America’s immigration laws. Rep. Sam Graves, a Missouri Republican, last year voted against the popular bill to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This would have helped more moderate-income families cover their uninsured children. When his Democratic foe, Kay Barnes, slammed him over the vote, Graves responded that the bill would have extended “free taxpayer-funded health care” to, among others, illegal immigrants.
Funny thing about “taxpayer-payer funded health care,” which, by the way, no one should ever call “free.” Billionaire retirees get it, as do the poor and members of Congress, including Graves and his kin.
Other Americans obtain private coverage through their employer or can buy their own, assuming they don’t have a sick family member. The only large uninsured group that doesn’t have health-care security is the working stiffs.
And what about illegal immigrants? They don’t have a government program, but they can show up in the nation’s emergency rooms. The care delivered there may be “free” for them, but not for others. It is subsidized by the taxpayers and by higher premiums charged on private health insurance.
In this country, threadbare government benefits are an essential element of the cheap-labor economy. Illegal immigrants provide low-cost labor and suppress the wages of workers who must compete with them, be they native-born or legal immigrants.
And as long as few benefits are flowing to them from Washington, the Bush administration can offer this gift to employers with little skin off its own back. Those who do pay most of the resulting costs are unskilled workers and the local governments that must provide services to people who contribute little to their coffers.
But suppose the federal government guaranteed health coverage for all workers and their families. Wouldn’t that make open borders a far more expensive proposition than it is now? It would.
Democrats have just dropped plans for another vote on the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Bush had condemned the bill as a perilous move toward “government-run health care for every American” — and has promised to veto the legislation as he’s already done twice before. (Bush’s concern about government-run enterprises must have had them rolling in the aisles on Wall Street this week, as the U.S. Treasury effectively nationalized the two financial companies responsible for three-quarters of new home mortgages.)
Singling out 10 million working-class children as the one group unworthy of a government insurance program would seem beyond the moral pale, but the Bush administration has always had a warped idea of right and not right. As for the immigration angle, the bill wouldn’t have covered legal aliens, much less illegal ones.
But beyond those particulars lies this argument: The more generous the social safety net, the more essential that the people using it are here legally and making enough money to help pay the costs. Milton Friedman didn’t like government, but he would have gotten the point.
Showing posts with label Public Assistance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public Assistance. Show all posts
September 10, 2008
August 27, 2008
Poverty, income snapshots show that economy improved slightly in 2007
By DIANE SMITH and JEFF CLAASSENdianesmith@star-telegram.com
STAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNIS
Household incomes increased slightly and poverty held steady last year in the U.S., while the number of people with no health insurance decreased for the first time in two years, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
A series of economic snapshots indicates that 2007 may have been the last year of economic recovery from the nation’s 2001-02 recession. The numbers do not reflect this year’s economic downturn, exacerbated by high fuel and food costs and a national housing crisis.
"A year ago, the economy was still fairly robust," said Bernard Weinstein, director of the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas. "The economy today is in much worse shape than it was a year ago."
Texas, Tarrant County and Fort Worth also saw slight increases in median household incomes and tiny decreases in the poverty rate. But in Arlington, the median income went down slightly and the poverty rate inched up.
And though the number of people with no health insurance declined nationwide, the number went up in Texas. The Lone Star State continues to lead the nation with the highest percentage of people lacking health insurance, at 25.2 percent.
The numbers were drawn from two surveys released Tuesday by the Census Bureau, titled Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 and the 2007 American Community Survey. Only cities and counties with more than 65,000 people were included.
Census Bureau data show that the increase in household incomes during the recent economic expansion have been relatively flat, compared with more robust income growth seen after the recessions of the early 1980s and early 1990s.
Median household incomes were slightly higher in 1999 than they were in 2007 when adjusted for inflation, according to the Census Bureau. The median is the point at which half of the incomes are higher and half are lower.
Median incomes increased 3.3 percent in Texas last year, well above the 1.9 percent increase nationwide.
Dallas-Fort Worth has benefited from a diversified economy that includes new jobs and exploration of the Barnett Shale natural gas formation, Weinstein said.
The region’s housing market has not been as hard-hit as in the rest of the nation, and it is cushioned by the defense and information technology industries, he said.
"If I had to pick one place to ride out the recession of 2008-2009, it would be the state of Texas," Weinstein said.
Where there’s a need
In Tarrant County, Arlington was the anomaly, with a 3 percent decrease in household incomes and a 0.2 percent increase in the poverty rate, which is within the survey’s margin of error.
The numbers likely reflect Arlington’s position as an older suburb that has been drawing immigrants and lower-income families for about 10 years, Weinstein said. For 2007, the poverty threshold for a family of four is $21,203.
Tillie Burgin, executive director of Mission Arlington, said 2008 started with a growing demand for help. The queries have continued with jumps in fuel and food prices, she said.
"They are making choices of rent, utilities, gas in the car," Burgin said.
In Fort Worth, the Southside Church of Christ has been working to help struggling families. The requests for help have grown about 10 percent in 2008 compared with 2007.
Daniel Leaf, local missions minister at the church’s food pantry program, said the pantry helps about 400 families a month in south-central Fort Worth.
"When we talk with people we find that . . . the need is more profound," Leaf said.
Lack of health insurance
The percentage of Texans who have no health insurance increased for three consecutive years. The state has long led the nation in that category.
Texas has many immigrants, both legal and illegal, and noncitizens have the highest uninsured rate, according to the census data.
Cuts in previous years to the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program have also driven up the rate of uninsured, said Frances Deviney, a senior research associate for the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin.
And many people who are eligible for state healthcare programs don’t know how to use the system, which Deviney said has too much red tape.
Nationwide, more people are using Medicaid and other government health insurance programs, one reason the uninsured rate decreased in the U.S., said David Johnson, chief of the Census Bureau’s division of Housing and Household Economic Statistics.
The Fort Worth Northside Community Health Center serves the uninsured with the help of federal grant money. Sixty-four percent of the patients don’t have government or commercial insurance, said Don Campion, the center’s chief operating officer.
More than 80 percent of the center’s patients are Hispanics who live on Fort Worth’s north side, but patients come from across Tarrant County.
"We are seeing a little bit more increase in Medicaid," Campion said. "It looked like it started to trend up in the last part of 2007."
Online: Read the surveys at www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf
and www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf
DIANE SMITH, 817-390-7675 JEFF CLAASSEN, 817-390-7710
STAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNIS
Household incomes increased slightly and poverty held steady last year in the U.S., while the number of people with no health insurance decreased for the first time in two years, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
A series of economic snapshots indicates that 2007 may have been the last year of economic recovery from the nation’s 2001-02 recession. The numbers do not reflect this year’s economic downturn, exacerbated by high fuel and food costs and a national housing crisis.
"A year ago, the economy was still fairly robust," said Bernard Weinstein, director of the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas. "The economy today is in much worse shape than it was a year ago."
Texas, Tarrant County and Fort Worth also saw slight increases in median household incomes and tiny decreases in the poverty rate. But in Arlington, the median income went down slightly and the poverty rate inched up.
And though the number of people with no health insurance declined nationwide, the number went up in Texas. The Lone Star State continues to lead the nation with the highest percentage of people lacking health insurance, at 25.2 percent.
The numbers were drawn from two surveys released Tuesday by the Census Bureau, titled Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 and the 2007 American Community Survey. Only cities and counties with more than 65,000 people were included.
Census Bureau data show that the increase in household incomes during the recent economic expansion have been relatively flat, compared with more robust income growth seen after the recessions of the early 1980s and early 1990s.
Median household incomes were slightly higher in 1999 than they were in 2007 when adjusted for inflation, according to the Census Bureau. The median is the point at which half of the incomes are higher and half are lower.
Median incomes increased 3.3 percent in Texas last year, well above the 1.9 percent increase nationwide.
Dallas-Fort Worth has benefited from a diversified economy that includes new jobs and exploration of the Barnett Shale natural gas formation, Weinstein said.
The region’s housing market has not been as hard-hit as in the rest of the nation, and it is cushioned by the defense and information technology industries, he said.
"If I had to pick one place to ride out the recession of 2008-2009, it would be the state of Texas," Weinstein said.
Where there’s a need
In Tarrant County, Arlington was the anomaly, with a 3 percent decrease in household incomes and a 0.2 percent increase in the poverty rate, which is within the survey’s margin of error.
The numbers likely reflect Arlington’s position as an older suburb that has been drawing immigrants and lower-income families for about 10 years, Weinstein said. For 2007, the poverty threshold for a family of four is $21,203.
Tillie Burgin, executive director of Mission Arlington, said 2008 started with a growing demand for help. The queries have continued with jumps in fuel and food prices, she said.
"They are making choices of rent, utilities, gas in the car," Burgin said.
In Fort Worth, the Southside Church of Christ has been working to help struggling families. The requests for help have grown about 10 percent in 2008 compared with 2007.
Daniel Leaf, local missions minister at the church’s food pantry program, said the pantry helps about 400 families a month in south-central Fort Worth.
"When we talk with people we find that . . . the need is more profound," Leaf said.
Lack of health insurance
The percentage of Texans who have no health insurance increased for three consecutive years. The state has long led the nation in that category.
Texas has many immigrants, both legal and illegal, and noncitizens have the highest uninsured rate, according to the census data.
Cuts in previous years to the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program have also driven up the rate of uninsured, said Frances Deviney, a senior research associate for the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin.
And many people who are eligible for state healthcare programs don’t know how to use the system, which Deviney said has too much red tape.
Nationwide, more people are using Medicaid and other government health insurance programs, one reason the uninsured rate decreased in the U.S., said David Johnson, chief of the Census Bureau’s division of Housing and Household Economic Statistics.
The Fort Worth Northside Community Health Center serves the uninsured with the help of federal grant money. Sixty-four percent of the patients don’t have government or commercial insurance, said Don Campion, the center’s chief operating officer.
More than 80 percent of the center’s patients are Hispanics who live on Fort Worth’s north side, but patients come from across Tarrant County.
"We are seeing a little bit more increase in Medicaid," Campion said. "It looked like it started to trend up in the last part of 2007."
Online: Read the surveys at www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf
and www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf
DIANE SMITH, 817-390-7675 JEFF CLAASSEN, 817-390-7710
Diboll Independent School District offers healthy meals every school day
County News August 27, 2008
Children need healthy meals to learn. Diboll Primary and Temple Elementary Schools offer healthy meals every school day. Breakfast is free; lunch costs $1.50. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch.
This information is provided for parents to help in filling out the accompanying application.
1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child? No. Complete one application to apply for free or reduced-price meals. Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Child Nutrition Department, Lucy Rosales, 215 N. Temple Blvd., Diboll, TX 75941, (936) 829- 6104.
2. Who can get free meals? Children in households receiving Food Stamps or TANF can get free meals regardless of your income, Your benefit letter from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is your documentation for free meals, If you have not already received a letter from your school stating that your household is eligible for free meals, you may take your HHSC benefit letter to your child nutrition office to be certified for free meals. Call the Child Nutrition Department at (936) 829-6104 if you have questions.
3. Should I fill out an application if I got a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free or reduced-price meals? In most cases no, however read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call the Child Nutrition Department at (936) 829-6104 if you have questions. If your household does not receive Food Stamps or TANF, your children may still be eligible to receive free meals if your household income is less than the amounts listed on the federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Please complete the application and submit it to your child nutrition office. Head Start students and most foster children may also qualify for free meals.
4. Can homeless, runaway and migrant children get free meals? Yes, If you have not been notified of free status under these categories, please call the Child Nutrition Department, (936) 8294104 to see if your child(ren) qualify.
5. Who can get reduced price meals? Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reducedprice limits on the Federal Income Chart, included in this application packet.
6. I get WIC. Can my child(ren) get free meals? Children in households participating in WlC may be eligible for free or reducedprice meals. Please fill out an application.
7. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.
8. If I don't qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps, TANF or other benefits.
9. What if I disagree with the school's decision about my application? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Gary Martel, 215 N. Temple Blvd., Diboll TX 75941 (936) 829-4718.
10. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
11. Who should I include as members of my household? You must include yourself and all people living in your household, related or not (such as children, grandparents, other relatives or friends).
12. What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally get $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime pay, include that amount as income. If you do not normally get overtime pay, do not include it as income.
13. We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income? If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. All other allowances must be included in your gross income.
If you have other questions or need help, call (936) 829-6104. Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono: (936) 829-4104. Si vous voudriez d'eido, contacfez nous au numero: (936) 829-6104.
Sincerely, Janice Koether
Child Nutrition Director
Your children may qualify for free or reduced- price meals if your household income falls within the limits on this chart.
FEDERAL INCOME CHART
For School Year 2008-09
Household Yearly Monthly Weekly
Size
1 $19,240 $1,604 $370
2 $25,900 $2,159 $499
3 $32,560 $2,714 $627
4 $39,220 $3,269 $755
5 $45,880 $3,824 $883
6 $52,540 $4,379 $1,011
7 $59,200 $4,934 $1,139
8 $65,860 $5,489 $1,267
Each Additional person
$6,660 $555 $129
Children need healthy meals to learn. Diboll Primary and Temple Elementary Schools offer healthy meals every school day. Breakfast is free; lunch costs $1.50. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. Reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch.
This information is provided for parents to help in filling out the accompanying application.
1. Do I need to fill out an application for each child? No. Complete one application to apply for free or reduced-price meals. Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Child Nutrition Department, Lucy Rosales, 215 N. Temple Blvd., Diboll, TX 75941, (936) 829- 6104.
2. Who can get free meals? Children in households receiving Food Stamps or TANF can get free meals regardless of your income, Your benefit letter from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is your documentation for free meals, If you have not already received a letter from your school stating that your household is eligible for free meals, you may take your HHSC benefit letter to your child nutrition office to be certified for free meals. Call the Child Nutrition Department at (936) 829-6104 if you have questions.
3. Should I fill out an application if I got a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free or reduced-price meals? In most cases no, however read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. Call the Child Nutrition Department at (936) 829-6104 if you have questions. If your household does not receive Food Stamps or TANF, your children may still be eligible to receive free meals if your household income is less than the amounts listed on the federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Please complete the application and submit it to your child nutrition office. Head Start students and most foster children may also qualify for free meals.
4. Can homeless, runaway and migrant children get free meals? Yes, If you have not been notified of free status under these categories, please call the Child Nutrition Department, (936) 8294104 to see if your child(ren) qualify.
5. Who can get reduced price meals? Your children can get low cost meals if your household income is within the reducedprice limits on the Federal Income Chart, included in this application packet.
6. I get WIC. Can my child(ren) get free meals? Children in households participating in WlC may be eligible for free or reducedprice meals. Please fill out an application.
7. Will the information I give be checked? Yes, we may ask you to send written proof.
8. If I don't qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. You may apply at any time during the school year if your household size goes up, income goes down, or if you start getting Food Stamps, TANF or other benefits.
9. What if I disagree with the school's decision about my application? You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Gary Martel, 215 N. Temple Blvd., Diboll TX 75941 (936) 829-4718.
10. May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen? Yes. You or your child(ren) do not have to be a U.S. citizen to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
11. Who should I include as members of my household? You must include yourself and all people living in your household, related or not (such as children, grandparents, other relatives or friends).
12. What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally get $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only got $900, put down that you get $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime pay, include that amount as income. If you do not normally get overtime pay, do not include it as income.
13. We are in the military; do we include our housing allowance as income? If your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. All other allowances must be included in your gross income.
If you have other questions or need help, call (936) 829-6104. Si necesita ayuda, por favor llame al teléfono: (936) 829-4104. Si vous voudriez d'eido, contacfez nous au numero: (936) 829-6104.
Sincerely, Janice Koether
Child Nutrition Director
Your children may qualify for free or reduced- price meals if your household income falls within the limits on this chart.
FEDERAL INCOME CHART
For School Year 2008-09
Household Yearly Monthly Weekly
Size
1 $19,240 $1,604 $370
2 $25,900 $2,159 $499
3 $32,560 $2,714 $627
4 $39,220 $3,269 $755
5 $45,880 $3,824 $883
6 $52,540 $4,379 $1,011
7 $59,200 $4,934 $1,139
8 $65,860 $5,489 $1,267
Each Additional person
$6,660 $555 $129
August 25, 2008
Two of Ten Misconceptions That Can Hinder FEMA Disaster Aid
I have to be a legal U.S. resident to receive Individual Assistance.
Possibly. To be eligible for cash assistance from FEMA you must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien (* Also, see bullet below). A qualified alien generally includes individuals who are lawful permanent residents (possessing an alien registration receipt card) or those with legal status due to asylum, refugee, parole (admission into the U.S. for humanitarian purposes), withholding of deportation, or victim of domestic violence. Check with an immigration expert for any questions about your legal status.
(*) I am an undocumented immigrant, and I don't think I qualify.
Possibly. Applications for Individual Assistance may be made on behalf of a child who is a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien. Or another adult household member may qualify for household assistance if he or she is a documented immigrant. You may also be eligible under many different programs run by state, local and voluntary. An undocumented immigrant may be eligible for short-term, non-cash emergency aid provided by FEMA.
Possibly. To be eligible for cash assistance from FEMA you must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien (* Also, see bullet below). A qualified alien generally includes individuals who are lawful permanent residents (possessing an alien registration receipt card) or those with legal status due to asylum, refugee, parole (admission into the U.S. for humanitarian purposes), withholding of deportation, or victim of domestic violence. Check with an immigration expert for any questions about your legal status.
(*) I am an undocumented immigrant, and I don't think I qualify.
Possibly. Applications for Individual Assistance may be made on behalf of a child who is a U.S. citizen or a qualified alien. Or another adult household member may qualify for household assistance if he or she is a documented immigrant. You may also be eligible under many different programs run by state, local and voluntary. An undocumented immigrant may be eligible for short-term, non-cash emergency aid provided by FEMA.
August 12, 2008
Turned Away: Woman trying to repair home after FEMA denies assistance
August 12, 2008 - 10:13PM
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald
When Hurricane Dolly hit the Rio Grande Valley, a distressed 69-year-old Hilda Cavazos watched her mobile home on FM 803 in San Benito through a window of her son's house nearby.
The majority of the uninsured mobile home's metal corrugated roof blew off, Cavazos said.
The wind was so strong that a tool shed atop concrete pillars to the rear of the mobile home was lifted and twisted, landing without three of its walls.
"She cried," Cavazos' daughter Esmeralda said Tuesday around the kitchen table of the mobile home that she and her son Omar share with Cavazos, widowed March 2 of last year.
Cavazos said she became emotional when she saw the damage that Dolly caused July 23. Most of the roof was gone, the railing under the mobile home buckled, personal belongings were lost, the ceiling cracked and water seeped past the ceiling, drenched the insulation and warped a doorway.
Daylight peers through a gaping hole in Esmeralda's bedroom caused when siding was blown off.
"It is the place where we live," Cavazos said. "My life is here," she added.
And she's trying to put her life back together - but it might be without assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA denied her claim.
"The damage in your home does not prevent you from living in the dwelling," FEMA determined Aug. 9.
FEMA would not comment on specific claims due to privacy concerns, but spokeswoman Patricia Brach said there is a "right to appeal." Anyone whose claims were denied can disagree and either call FEMA or visit a Disaster Recovery Center in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties to process appeals.
A denial is, "not the last word," Brach said.
Cavazos' son Samuel placed a new overlay of corrugated sheet metal on the roof soon after Dolly.
"It is a quick fix. There is no money available," he said in a telephone interview from the Washington, D.C. area, where he returned to work. He has been trying to help his mother through the claims process.
"To me, you don't have to be an engineer to see that there is damage to the house or a genius to see that there is a need there," Samuel said. Instead, he believes that there was a language barrier between his mother, who knows a couple of words in English, and the inspector who spoke English.
Originally from Mexico, Cavazos has been a resident alien for approximately 45 years and said she has been a good resident: "Ni un tiquete," she said, noting that she has never even received a ticket or citation.
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald
When Hurricane Dolly hit the Rio Grande Valley, a distressed 69-year-old Hilda Cavazos watched her mobile home on FM 803 in San Benito through a window of her son's house nearby.
The majority of the uninsured mobile home's metal corrugated roof blew off, Cavazos said.
The wind was so strong that a tool shed atop concrete pillars to the rear of the mobile home was lifted and twisted, landing without three of its walls.
"She cried," Cavazos' daughter Esmeralda said Tuesday around the kitchen table of the mobile home that she and her son Omar share with Cavazos, widowed March 2 of last year.
Cavazos said she became emotional when she saw the damage that Dolly caused July 23. Most of the roof was gone, the railing under the mobile home buckled, personal belongings were lost, the ceiling cracked and water seeped past the ceiling, drenched the insulation and warped a doorway.
Daylight peers through a gaping hole in Esmeralda's bedroom caused when siding was blown off.
"It is the place where we live," Cavazos said. "My life is here," she added.
And she's trying to put her life back together - but it might be without assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA denied her claim.
"The damage in your home does not prevent you from living in the dwelling," FEMA determined Aug. 9.
FEMA would not comment on specific claims due to privacy concerns, but spokeswoman Patricia Brach said there is a "right to appeal." Anyone whose claims were denied can disagree and either call FEMA or visit a Disaster Recovery Center in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties to process appeals.
A denial is, "not the last word," Brach said.
Cavazos' son Samuel placed a new overlay of corrugated sheet metal on the roof soon after Dolly.
"It is a quick fix. There is no money available," he said in a telephone interview from the Washington, D.C. area, where he returned to work. He has been trying to help his mother through the claims process.
"To me, you don't have to be an engineer to see that there is damage to the house or a genius to see that there is a need there," Samuel said. Instead, he believes that there was a language barrier between his mother, who knows a couple of words in English, and the inspector who spoke English.
Originally from Mexico, Cavazos has been a resident alien for approximately 45 years and said she has been a good resident: "Ni un tiquete," she said, noting that she has never even received a ticket or citation.
August 7, 2008
Military providing free healthcare to everyone
09:45 PM CDT on Thursday, August 7, 2008
By Allison Triarsi / 11 News
BROWNSVILLE, Texas—The Air National Guard at Ellington Field stands ready to protect our borders both on land and at sea.
Part of that duty includes providing free medical care to everyone.
That is evident at a school in Brownsville where soldiers along with our state’s health and human services department help those in need.
“We’re protecting our people and that’s our job,” said Master Sgt. Marcus Falleaf who is with the Air National Guard.
But does that job include protecting foreigners at the expense of American taxpayers?
That’s what some want to know.
Some claim that more than 5,000 people have received medical care at the Brownsville facility in three days.
The military doesn’t know how many people are getting served because they don’t require documentation and don't ask questions.
One woman who spoke to 11 News said she lives in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It's a city across the border form Brownsville.
She said that she received a health screening, including blood work and a physical exam. It was all free.
In fact, anyone who comes to the facility can get vision checks, dental and hearing work, even free medications.
The military calls this a medical training exercise, practice for when an emergency like Hurricane Katrina hits.
Critics argue that the service is costing U.S. taxpayers nearly $2 million dollars a year.
Master Sergeant Falleaf helps run the program and says it has served seven border cities from Brownsville to Laredo for the past decade.
“The critics say we’re spending millions of dollars on Operation Lone Star in the course of the last several years. We do spend an awful lot of money, but keep in mind the money we’re spending is not only helping people but it’s preparing us from things that may happen in the future,” said Master Sergeant Falleaf.
He says sickness knows no borders.
The activist group Border Watch thinks otherwise.
They released a statement saying, “ ...it’s appalling. Border Watch’s President plans to ask legislators why we’re giving foreigners free medical care when an estimated 40 million Americans struggle along without health insurance.”
Felicitos Cantu says he is one of those uninsured Americans who goes to the facility to save money.
“There are four of us so just imagine what it would cost at the clinic or something. I’m here with my kids. They’re all in, two are in junior high, one is in high school, we’re here for physicals,” said Cantu.
He is not alone, many others share the same problem.
Medical experts say it isn't important where you're from because our military is meeting a medical need.
While the insurance industry struggles to find answers to our health care crisis, without asking questions the military’s providing care to the uninsured.
By Allison Triarsi / 11 News
BROWNSVILLE, Texas—The Air National Guard at Ellington Field stands ready to protect our borders both on land and at sea.
Part of that duty includes providing free medical care to everyone.
That is evident at a school in Brownsville where soldiers along with our state’s health and human services department help those in need.
“We’re protecting our people and that’s our job,” said Master Sgt. Marcus Falleaf who is with the Air National Guard.
But does that job include protecting foreigners at the expense of American taxpayers?
That’s what some want to know.
Some claim that more than 5,000 people have received medical care at the Brownsville facility in three days.
The military doesn’t know how many people are getting served because they don’t require documentation and don't ask questions.
One woman who spoke to 11 News said she lives in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. It's a city across the border form Brownsville.
She said that she received a health screening, including blood work and a physical exam. It was all free.
In fact, anyone who comes to the facility can get vision checks, dental and hearing work, even free medications.
The military calls this a medical training exercise, practice for when an emergency like Hurricane Katrina hits.
Critics argue that the service is costing U.S. taxpayers nearly $2 million dollars a year.
Master Sergeant Falleaf helps run the program and says it has served seven border cities from Brownsville to Laredo for the past decade.
“The critics say we’re spending millions of dollars on Operation Lone Star in the course of the last several years. We do spend an awful lot of money, but keep in mind the money we’re spending is not only helping people but it’s preparing us from things that may happen in the future,” said Master Sergeant Falleaf.
He says sickness knows no borders.
The activist group Border Watch thinks otherwise.
They released a statement saying, “ ...it’s appalling. Border Watch’s President plans to ask legislators why we’re giving foreigners free medical care when an estimated 40 million Americans struggle along without health insurance.”
Felicitos Cantu says he is one of those uninsured Americans who goes to the facility to save money.
“There are four of us so just imagine what it would cost at the clinic or something. I’m here with my kids. They’re all in, two are in junior high, one is in high school, we’re here for physicals,” said Cantu.
He is not alone, many others share the same problem.
Medical experts say it isn't important where you're from because our military is meeting a medical need.
While the insurance industry struggles to find answers to our health care crisis, without asking questions the military’s providing care to the uninsured.
Operation Lone Star Comes to Hebbronville
Manuel De La Rosa
(August 7, 2008)
HEBBRONVILLE--A three-day free medical program called Operation Lone Star just wrapped up in one Coastal Bend town. It's a program that provides free medical services for needy families and this was the first time that it was offering those services in the small town of Hebbronville.
Operation Lone Star is in its tenth year of operation. In the past, the operation has been held in several border towns in the Rio Grande Valley, but this year, they decided to expand the program to Hebbronville.
The Texas military forces gave free medical checkups, immunizations and health education for three days in Hebbronville. More than 500 people, including the Dominguez family, came to check out Operation Lone Star.
"It's good because it's something free that we can take advantage of," said Erica Dominguez, who brought her daughter to get immunized.
Operation Lone Star comes to towns in South Texas where residents either don't have health insurance or lack access to doctors.
"I had an immunization and I also had a physical done," said Adriana Miller, a Hebbronville resident. "The doctor was very thorough and it helped me from having to travel out of town as many other people in the area."
Doctors and medical staff are soliders for the Texas National Guard who saw a little bit of everything while seeing patients.
"They're telling us if we weren't here maybe their diabetes would go unchecked or maybe they wouldn't be diagnosed with that high blood pressure that we are able to diagnosed them with," said Dr. Mona Khanna, one of the doctors from the Texas National Guard.
Military commanders said they use this operation as an exercise.
"It allows us to get a hands on experience with dealing with lots of people over a short period of time, just like we would do in a real disaster if we were called into service," said Colonol Frank Stead, who is the military commander overseeing this Operation Lone Star in Hebbronville.
Doctors said educating these underserved communities about healthier living and given them checkups will lead to a longer life.
"We do this because we want to do it," Col. Stead said. "We have a heart for it because we see we can provide care and assistance for folks who need that who wouldn't get it otherwise."
These residents are thankful Operation Lone Star came to Jim Hogg County and they can't wait for it to return next year.
--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com
(August 7, 2008)
HEBBRONVILLE--A three-day free medical program called Operation Lone Star just wrapped up in one Coastal Bend town. It's a program that provides free medical services for needy families and this was the first time that it was offering those services in the small town of Hebbronville.
Operation Lone Star is in its tenth year of operation. In the past, the operation has been held in several border towns in the Rio Grande Valley, but this year, they decided to expand the program to Hebbronville.
The Texas military forces gave free medical checkups, immunizations and health education for three days in Hebbronville. More than 500 people, including the Dominguez family, came to check out Operation Lone Star.
"It's good because it's something free that we can take advantage of," said Erica Dominguez, who brought her daughter to get immunized.
Operation Lone Star comes to towns in South Texas where residents either don't have health insurance or lack access to doctors.
"I had an immunization and I also had a physical done," said Adriana Miller, a Hebbronville resident. "The doctor was very thorough and it helped me from having to travel out of town as many other people in the area."
Doctors and medical staff are soliders for the Texas National Guard who saw a little bit of everything while seeing patients.
"They're telling us if we weren't here maybe their diabetes would go unchecked or maybe they wouldn't be diagnosed with that high blood pressure that we are able to diagnosed them with," said Dr. Mona Khanna, one of the doctors from the Texas National Guard.
Military commanders said they use this operation as an exercise.
"It allows us to get a hands on experience with dealing with lots of people over a short period of time, just like we would do in a real disaster if we were called into service," said Colonol Frank Stead, who is the military commander overseeing this Operation Lone Star in Hebbronville.
Doctors said educating these underserved communities about healthier living and given them checkups will lead to a longer life.
"We do this because we want to do it," Col. Stead said. "We have a heart for it because we see we can provide care and assistance for folks who need that who wouldn't get it otherwise."
These residents are thankful Operation Lone Star came to Jim Hogg County and they can't wait for it to return next year.
--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com
August 5, 2008
Parents can enroll in CHIP at H.E.B. this month
August 5, 2008 - 2:43PM
Sara Perkins
SAN JUAN — Parents can pick up their child's health insurance when they go on a milk run this month.
Local social service organizations are set to answer questions about the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program and Children's Medicaid each Saturday through Aug. 30 at several H.E.B. stores in the area. Tables will be set up inside select stores from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visitors can get help filling out applications and 12-month renewals, and pick up information on whether their children qualify for the aid.
CHIP and Children's Medicaid serve overlapping populations of low-income Texans. For a family with three children, CHIP's income cap is $35,200 per year, while Medicaid will provide additional insurance to a family of the same size making less than $17,600.
Proponents are careful to note that parents' immigration status is not relevant to their children's coverage, as long as the children are legal residents. Julie Lara, social services program manager at H.E.B., said there are an estimated 800,000 Texan children who qualify for one or both of the programs but are not enrolled.
"Kids who don't have health and medical care are more likely to get sick and spend time outside of the classroom," particularly those with manageable disorders like asthma and diabetes, said Geoffrey Wool, a Health and Human Services Commission spokesman.
"We want to put children on the path to a more healthy and productive lifestyle."
____
Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472
Sara Perkins
SAN JUAN — Parents can pick up their child's health insurance when they go on a milk run this month.
Local social service organizations are set to answer questions about the Texas Children's Health Insurance Program and Children's Medicaid each Saturday through Aug. 30 at several H.E.B. stores in the area. Tables will be set up inside select stores from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visitors can get help filling out applications and 12-month renewals, and pick up information on whether their children qualify for the aid.
CHIP and Children's Medicaid serve overlapping populations of low-income Texans. For a family with three children, CHIP's income cap is $35,200 per year, while Medicaid will provide additional insurance to a family of the same size making less than $17,600.
Proponents are careful to note that parents' immigration status is not relevant to their children's coverage, as long as the children are legal residents. Julie Lara, social services program manager at H.E.B., said there are an estimated 800,000 Texan children who qualify for one or both of the programs but are not enrolled.
"Kids who don't have health and medical care are more likely to get sick and spend time outside of the classroom," particularly those with manageable disorders like asthma and diabetes, said Geoffrey Wool, a Health and Human Services Commission spokesman.
"We want to put children on the path to a more healthy and productive lifestyle."
____
Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472
August 4, 2008
FEMA Requirements Released for Non-U.S. Citizens
Monday , August 04, 2008 Posted: 11:35 PM
FEMA Requirements
FEMA number is 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362)
MCALLEN - People who are not U.S. citizens, but who are in the United States legally, may still be eligible for disaster aid according to officials from the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"We don't want any residents who might be eligible to miss out on valuable disaster assistance that could help them get back on their feet," said Federal Coordinating Officer Sandy Coachman. "If disaster affected Texans are in doubt, they should apply for assistance and FEMA will determine their eligibility."
Under the presidential declaration, disaster assistance is available to residents and business owners in the counties of Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens to receive FEMA monetary assistance. Their legal status will not be jeopardized by applying for assistance. Qualified aliens include:
Individuals with Lawful Permanent Residency (holders of "green cards");
Those with refugee or asylum status;
Those whose deportation has been withheld;
Those on parole in the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes;
Those with conditional entry;
Cuban or Haitian entrants; and
Those with petitions for relief based on battery or extreme cruelty by a family member.
Assistance can be given as long as someone in a household is entitled to it, and no information will be gathered regarding the status of other household members. For example, a parent or guardian who is not eligible for assistance can still apply on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. The guardian only certifies for the child; no information will be gathered on the adult's status.
Undocumented immigrants from a household with no one eligible for FEMA financial assistance may still be eligible for programs run by state, local or voluntary agencies. They may also be eligible for short-term, non-cash aid from FEMA, such as crisis counseling.
Applicants with losses and damages as a result of Hurricane Dolly who live in the three federally declared counties can register with FEMA by calling 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. They can also register online at www.fema.gov.
FEMA Requirements
FEMA number is 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362)
MCALLEN - People who are not U.S. citizens, but who are in the United States legally, may still be eligible for disaster aid according to officials from the Texas Governor's Division of Emergency Management (GDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"We don't want any residents who might be eligible to miss out on valuable disaster assistance that could help them get back on their feet," said Federal Coordinating Officer Sandy Coachman. "If disaster affected Texans are in doubt, they should apply for assistance and FEMA will determine their eligibility."
Under the presidential declaration, disaster assistance is available to residents and business owners in the counties of Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens to receive FEMA monetary assistance. Their legal status will not be jeopardized by applying for assistance. Qualified aliens include:
Individuals with Lawful Permanent Residency (holders of "green cards");
Those with refugee or asylum status;
Those whose deportation has been withheld;
Those on parole in the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes;
Those with conditional entry;
Cuban or Haitian entrants; and
Those with petitions for relief based on battery or extreme cruelty by a family member.
Assistance can be given as long as someone in a household is entitled to it, and no information will be gathered regarding the status of other household members. For example, a parent or guardian who is not eligible for assistance can still apply on behalf of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. The guardian only certifies for the child; no information will be gathered on the adult's status.
Undocumented immigrants from a household with no one eligible for FEMA financial assistance may still be eligible for programs run by state, local or voluntary agencies. They may also be eligible for short-term, non-cash aid from FEMA, such as crisis counseling.
Applicants with losses and damages as a result of Hurricane Dolly who live in the three federally declared counties can register with FEMA by calling 1- 800-621-FEMA (3362), or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. The toll-free lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. They can also register online at www.fema.gov.
August 3, 2008
FEMA says illegal immigrants can benefit from assistance, but some local leaders aren't so sure
August 3, 2008 - 5:00PM
Laura Tillman
The Brownsville Herald
BROWNSVILLE - In Hurricane Dolly's aftermath, one group is hit particularly hard - illegal immigrants.
Many are afraid to seek federal help, they say, for fear of deportation or of not being treated with simple human dignity.
But although the Federal Emergency Management Agency joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2003, FEMA officials insist undocumented residents are at no risk of deportation if they seek aid available through President Bush's local disaster declaration last week.
"Information is shared (between DHS departments), but only on a need-to-know basis," FEMA spokesman Don Jacks said. "We're not a law enforcement agency; we're here to help people."
Nevertheless, local and international officials worry that because of the area's high concentration of undocumented immigrants, local residents' fears will prevent a large segment of the population from seeking assistance.
"We have to provide avenues to help anyone who will fall through the cracks of FEMA," said Richard Garza, a developer with Padre Island Health Specialists, during a meeting at Brownsville's Mexican Consulate on Friday.
Safety buffer
The volume of illegal immigrants whose homes Hurricane Dolly devastated has prompted Garza to team with other local leaders to create a national organization that acts as a safety buffer for natural disaster victims unqualified for FEMA assistance.
Mexican Consul General Victor Manuel Treviño Escudero plans to meet with FEMA officials at his Brownsville office this week to clarify what he called the "confusing" collection of services available to undocumented immigrants.
"We have to serve as the intermediary between people here and the government," Treviño said. "People don't feel comfortable going directly to (U.S. officials)."
Another Consulate official agreed.
"Some people are so afraid of DHS at this point that they won't even go to the hospital when they're sick," said Gabriela Robinson, who represents the Consulate's health program, Ventanillas de Salud.
Former Brownsville Port Director of Customs Jorge Flores - who once directed the Mr. Amigo organization that promotes U.S.-Mexico relations - said the increasingly aggressive attitude toward undocumented immigrants has made it important to create an organization that can serve as a go-between with FEMA for illegal immigrants.
"With the raids that have transpired over the past year, people hold back on everything," Flores said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across the country. "The laws have changed to the point where you can get deported the first time you're caught."
"Be careful"
According to FEMA officials, undocumented immigrants homeowners can receive non-cash assistance like food, medical services, temporary emergency housing and Crisis Counseling, regardless of documentation status.
If a member of their household is a legal resident, or if they have a child who is a legal resident, then they can file for cash assistance through that relative.
Documents proving that the home belongs to the individual applying for assistance at that point - such as a deed, tax statement or insurance policy - as well as the Social Security number of the resident applicant, will be necessary for individuals to receive aid.
Rev. Michael Seifert - a priest at San Felipe de Jesus Church in Cameron Park, where he says approximately 25 percent of homes have at least one undocumented resident - said external organizations should continue to serve as watchdogs to ensure FEMA does not use such information for future legal action.
"You're asking people who are hiding from the system to hand their information over to FEMA," Seifert said. "I think we just have to be careful."
Laura Tillman
The Brownsville Herald
BROWNSVILLE - In Hurricane Dolly's aftermath, one group is hit particularly hard - illegal immigrants.
Many are afraid to seek federal help, they say, for fear of deportation or of not being treated with simple human dignity.
But although the Federal Emergency Management Agency joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2003, FEMA officials insist undocumented residents are at no risk of deportation if they seek aid available through President Bush's local disaster declaration last week.
"Information is shared (between DHS departments), but only on a need-to-know basis," FEMA spokesman Don Jacks said. "We're not a law enforcement agency; we're here to help people."
Nevertheless, local and international officials worry that because of the area's high concentration of undocumented immigrants, local residents' fears will prevent a large segment of the population from seeking assistance.
"We have to provide avenues to help anyone who will fall through the cracks of FEMA," said Richard Garza, a developer with Padre Island Health Specialists, during a meeting at Brownsville's Mexican Consulate on Friday.
Safety buffer
The volume of illegal immigrants whose homes Hurricane Dolly devastated has prompted Garza to team with other local leaders to create a national organization that acts as a safety buffer for natural disaster victims unqualified for FEMA assistance.
Mexican Consul General Victor Manuel Treviño Escudero plans to meet with FEMA officials at his Brownsville office this week to clarify what he called the "confusing" collection of services available to undocumented immigrants.
"We have to serve as the intermediary between people here and the government," Treviño said. "People don't feel comfortable going directly to (U.S. officials)."
Another Consulate official agreed.
"Some people are so afraid of DHS at this point that they won't even go to the hospital when they're sick," said Gabriela Robinson, who represents the Consulate's health program, Ventanillas de Salud.
Former Brownsville Port Director of Customs Jorge Flores - who once directed the Mr. Amigo organization that promotes U.S.-Mexico relations - said the increasingly aggressive attitude toward undocumented immigrants has made it important to create an organization that can serve as a go-between with FEMA for illegal immigrants.
"With the raids that have transpired over the past year, people hold back on everything," Flores said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across the country. "The laws have changed to the point where you can get deported the first time you're caught."
"Be careful"
According to FEMA officials, undocumented immigrants homeowners can receive non-cash assistance like food, medical services, temporary emergency housing and Crisis Counseling, regardless of documentation status.
If a member of their household is a legal resident, or if they have a child who is a legal resident, then they can file for cash assistance through that relative.
Documents proving that the home belongs to the individual applying for assistance at that point - such as a deed, tax statement or insurance policy - as well as the Social Security number of the resident applicant, will be necessary for individuals to receive aid.
Rev. Michael Seifert - a priest at San Felipe de Jesus Church in Cameron Park, where he says approximately 25 percent of homes have at least one undocumented resident - said external organizations should continue to serve as watchdogs to ensure FEMA does not use such information for future legal action.
"You're asking people who are hiding from the system to hand their information over to FEMA," Seifert said. "I think we just have to be careful."
November 29, 2007
Half of Immigrants in Texas Are Illegal, Report Finds
By BOB DART
Cox News Service
Thursday, November 29, 2007
WASHINGTON — Half of the nearly 3.5 million immigrants living in Texas are in the country illegally, the Center for Immigration Studies says in a report released Thursday.
Based on the latest Census Bureau data, the report said Texas has one of the fastest growing immigrant populations of any state. It said that 50 percent of the state's foreign-born population — slightly more than 1.7 million people — are illegal immigrants. Only Arizona at 65 percent, North Carolina at 58 percent and Georgia at 53 percent had a higher proportion of illegal immigrants in their immigrant populations.
Many people within the undocumented population are unskilled workers and tend to go to states where they can find those types of jobs, explained Flavia Jimenez, a senior policy analyst with the National Council of La Raza, a nonpartisan advocacy group for Hispanic Americans. And many go where there are already family members.
The influx of immigrants into Texas reflects the national trend, the report showed. The nation's immigrant population — legal and illegal — reached a record of 37.9 million in 2007. Nearly one in three of these newcomers is here illegally. Half of the immigrants from Mexico and Central America are in the country illegally and one-third of those from South America are illegal immigrants.
The report documents this surge of new arrivals and describes its impact.
"The last seven years have been the highest period of immigration in American history," the report concluded. "Immigrants and their young children (under 18) now account for one-fifth of the school-age population, one-fourth of those in poverty and nearly one-third of those without health insurance."
Immigration accounts for nearly all of the national increase in public school enrollment over the past two decades, the report said. In 2007, there were 10.8 million school-age children from immigrant families in the United States — about one in five of the nation's school-age kids.
In Texas, 26.7 percent of the school-age (5-17) population had immigrant fathers. About half of these immigrant children — 13 percent of the state's total school age population — were illegal immigrants or the offspring of illegal immigrants.
About one-third of all families nationally headed by an immigrant use at least one welfare program — compared to less than one-fifth for native households, the report said. The percentage in Texas exceeds the national average with 39.2 percent of immigrant households using at least one welfare program compared to 21.1 percent of native households.
"Setting aside the lower socio-economic status of immigrants, no nation has ever attempted to incorporate nearly 38 million newcomers into its society," the report warned.
The report is called "Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A Profile of America's Foreign-Born Population." It was written by Seven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonpartisan think tank that advocates reductions in immigration. The data came from the March 2007 Current Population Survey collected by the Census Bureau.
"There is nothing surprising in the report. These are the same kind of findings we have seen with other research," said Jimenez. "This is further proof that, in our opinion, this country needs to fix its immigration system."
The report said immigrants and their U.S.-born children under the age of 18 now make up 21 percent of Texas' population. Children born in the United States are citizens even if their parents are illegal immigrants.
The number of immigrants in Texas has risen rapidly in a little over a decade — growing from 2.2 million in 1995 to 2.6 million in 2000 to nearly 3.5 million in 2007. Since 2000, the state's immigrant population has increased 32.7 percent.
The median household income for immigrant households in Texas is lower than the median household income for native households — $32,998 for immigrants compared to $46,332 for native households. Since the number of people in a household is 3.3 for immigrants compared to 2.5 for natives, the per-person median income is a more dramatic 46 percent higher for natives — $18,533 compared to $9,996.
In Texas, 48.4 percent of the immigrants age 18 or older did not have a high school diploma, compared to 10.5 percent of the native population. The report said 56.8 percent of the state's immigrants and their children lived in or near poverty, compared to 32.6 percent of the native population and its children.
In Texas, 61.1 percent of immigrants and their children are uninsured or on Medicaid, double the 30.2 percent of natives and their children in the same circumstances. As citizens, the children of illegal immigrants are eligible for Medicaid.
"For state governments, Medicaid is a particular concern because between one-third to one-half of the program's costs are typically borne by state taxpayers," the report said.
Cox News Service
Thursday, November 29, 2007
WASHINGTON — Half of the nearly 3.5 million immigrants living in Texas are in the country illegally, the Center for Immigration Studies says in a report released Thursday.
Based on the latest Census Bureau data, the report said Texas has one of the fastest growing immigrant populations of any state. It said that 50 percent of the state's foreign-born population — slightly more than 1.7 million people — are illegal immigrants. Only Arizona at 65 percent, North Carolina at 58 percent and Georgia at 53 percent had a higher proportion of illegal immigrants in their immigrant populations.
Many people within the undocumented population are unskilled workers and tend to go to states where they can find those types of jobs, explained Flavia Jimenez, a senior policy analyst with the National Council of La Raza, a nonpartisan advocacy group for Hispanic Americans. And many go where there are already family members.
The influx of immigrants into Texas reflects the national trend, the report showed. The nation's immigrant population — legal and illegal — reached a record of 37.9 million in 2007. Nearly one in three of these newcomers is here illegally. Half of the immigrants from Mexico and Central America are in the country illegally and one-third of those from South America are illegal immigrants.
The report documents this surge of new arrivals and describes its impact.
"The last seven years have been the highest period of immigration in American history," the report concluded. "Immigrants and their young children (under 18) now account for one-fifth of the school-age population, one-fourth of those in poverty and nearly one-third of those without health insurance."
Immigration accounts for nearly all of the national increase in public school enrollment over the past two decades, the report said. In 2007, there were 10.8 million school-age children from immigrant families in the United States — about one in five of the nation's school-age kids.
In Texas, 26.7 percent of the school-age (5-17) population had immigrant fathers. About half of these immigrant children — 13 percent of the state's total school age population — were illegal immigrants or the offspring of illegal immigrants.
About one-third of all families nationally headed by an immigrant use at least one welfare program — compared to less than one-fifth for native households, the report said. The percentage in Texas exceeds the national average with 39.2 percent of immigrant households using at least one welfare program compared to 21.1 percent of native households.
"Setting aside the lower socio-economic status of immigrants, no nation has ever attempted to incorporate nearly 38 million newcomers into its society," the report warned.
The report is called "Immigrants in the United States, 2007: A Profile of America's Foreign-Born Population." It was written by Seven Camarota, research director for the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonpartisan think tank that advocates reductions in immigration. The data came from the March 2007 Current Population Survey collected by the Census Bureau.
"There is nothing surprising in the report. These are the same kind of findings we have seen with other research," said Jimenez. "This is further proof that, in our opinion, this country needs to fix its immigration system."
The report said immigrants and their U.S.-born children under the age of 18 now make up 21 percent of Texas' population. Children born in the United States are citizens even if their parents are illegal immigrants.
The number of immigrants in Texas has risen rapidly in a little over a decade — growing from 2.2 million in 1995 to 2.6 million in 2000 to nearly 3.5 million in 2007. Since 2000, the state's immigrant population has increased 32.7 percent.
The median household income for immigrant households in Texas is lower than the median household income for native households — $32,998 for immigrants compared to $46,332 for native households. Since the number of people in a household is 3.3 for immigrants compared to 2.5 for natives, the per-person median income is a more dramatic 46 percent higher for natives — $18,533 compared to $9,996.
In Texas, 48.4 percent of the immigrants age 18 or older did not have a high school diploma, compared to 10.5 percent of the native population. The report said 56.8 percent of the state's immigrants and their children lived in or near poverty, compared to 32.6 percent of the native population and its children.
In Texas, 61.1 percent of immigrants and their children are uninsured or on Medicaid, double the 30.2 percent of natives and their children in the same circumstances. As citizens, the children of illegal immigrants are eligible for Medicaid.
"For state governments, Medicaid is a particular concern because between one-third to one-half of the program's costs are typically borne by state taxpayers," the report said.
September 15, 2007
Hospital weighs charity care for illegal immigrants
Nonemergency services for illegal immigrants debated
08:24 PM CDT on Saturday, September 15, 2007
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
jmosier@dallasnews.com
A poor illegal immigrant who goes to the John Peter Smith Hospital emergency room in Fort Worth gets the same care at the same price as any other indigent resident.
COURTNEY PERRY/DMN
The Rev. Sergio Diaz is working to expand health care services available for illegal immigrants in Tarrant County. But the same person who goes to a JPS clinic for nonemergency treatment is often faced with a hefty bill. Unlike other large urban public hospital systems in Texas, JPS excludes illegal immigrants from its charity program that provides preventive healthcare.
Trying to balance politics, medicine and money, the Tarrant County Hospital Board of Managers will debate and possibly decide Tuesday whether to spend millions to provide free or low-cost nonemergency medical care to thousands of illegal immigrants.
The Rev. Sergio Diaz of Iglesia San Miguel, an Episcopal church in Fort Worth, said he has been fighting for this issue because of the damage caused by inadequate health care. He said members of his church – many of them illegal immigrants – can't get preventive health care and that some have died from complications from treatable diseases such as diabetes.
"This touches my heart because most of my people are immigrants," said Mr. Diaz, a member of Allied Communities of Tarrant. "I've seen a lot of people suffering."
Health care has become a major part of the national debate about illegal immigration, and the costs even led Dallas County officials to send bills to Mexico and other countries demanding payment for some of its expenses at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Also Online
09/15/07: Hispanics shift hospitals' resources
The debate has also been simmering for more than a year in Tarrant County, where Allied Communities of Tarrant, a coalition of churches and social-justice activists, has pushed for the expansion of charity care. At the same time, a local conservative group favoring a crackdown on illegal immigration has been urging the board to retain the existing policy.
Dennis Killy, a member of the Tarrant Alliance for Responsible Government, said expanding cheap health care to illegal immigrants is an insult to citizens and to those who came to the United States legally. It simply rewards those who ignore federal law, he said.
"Where does it end?" Mr. Killy said. "When do we stop paying our tax money for something we're getting nothing for?"
Mr. Killy said he believes a significant majority of board members support his group's position and would not change the JPS policy. Officials with Allied Communities of Tarrant said they think it's going to be a closer vote.
Three board members, Erma C. Johnson Hadley, Dan Serna and Ronnie W. Coulson, all declined to comment on how they might vote.
"It's my obligation to leave my mind open," Mr. Serna said.
Mrs. Johnson Hadley, board chairwoman, said this is a difficult decision that generates strong opinions and mixed emotions among many people. She said she met with Sen. John Cornyn and told him that this is something that needs to be addressed in Washington.
"We feel somewhat put out that we're having to deal with a federal issue," she said.
Differing figures
People supporting a tougher stance on illegal immigration see this as a critical financial issue. They worry that a change in policy will cost taxpayers dearly.
The cost of this possible expansion, however, depends on who's adding the numbers.
The hospital district hired Phase 2 Consulting of Austin to conduct a study, which was released in July.
Estimating the number of illegal immigrants in Tarrant County at 107,000, the study calculated that expanding the charity program would cost the hospital district an additional $41.3 million right now. That number would increase to $114.4 million by 2017, according to the study.
Allied Communities of Tarrant conducted its own study in February that came to a dramatically different conclusion. Quoting 18th-century literary figure Samuel Johnson and a passage from the Bible's book of Leviticus in the introduction, the alternative study estimated the cost to be between $2 million and $4.2 million added to the hospital district's $600 million-plus budget.
Parkland officials estimated their cost for nonemergency care for illegal immigrants was $22.4 million in the past year – about halfway between the two Tarrant County estimates.
Patricia Gaffney, a member of Allied Communities of Tarrant who helped research and write the report, challenged some of the basic assumptions of the Phase 2 study. She said that study projects a 56 percent increase in Tarrant County's illegal immigrant population in the next decade even though federal reports show that illegal immigration is decreasing.
Ms. Gaffney also said the Phase 2 study overestimates the number of illegal immigrants who would use the service. Many are wary of government programs because of their immigration status, she said.
Mr. Killy said he is more likely to believe an independent, third-party report than one created by a group advocating for one side of the issue.
Dave McElwee, another member of Tarrant Alliance for Responsible Government, said that aside from the immediate cost, he also worries about the message that expanded health care would send.
"I think there ought to be programs for the indigent but not for those in the country illegally," he said. "All this does is act as a magnet for other illegals."
No extra funds now
If the board votes Tuesday to expand health care, it's not clear how quickly such a change would be implemented, JPS senior vice president Robert Earley said. He said the board and Tarrant County Commissioners have already approved the 2007-08 budget, and no funds are set aside for additional health care costs for illegal immigrants.
This is the second time this issue has come up for Tarrant County. For part of 2004, the board opened up all its programs to illegal immigrants. JPS officials were uncertain about whether a new state law allowed or mandated them to provide nonemergency charity services to illegal immigrants. Mr. Early said a ruling by the Texas attorney general and statements of intent from the sponsor clarified that the law didn't require the expansion.
At the time, JPS officials said the expanded program cost them up to $4 million for six months. Mr. Earley said the participation was probably limited three years ago because the program wasn't actively promoted by the hospital district and there were questions about how long it would last.
The board voted in August 2004 to make immigration status a factor for the JPS charity nonemergency care.
Officials with Allied Communities of Tarrant and the Texas Hospital Association also said most urban public hospitals in the state don't limit health care service because of immigration status, but neither had conducted a comprehensive study.
Dr. Ron Anderson, chief executive of Parkland Memorial Hospital, which does not exempt illegal immigrants from its charity programs, said the decision by JPS did not affect his system.
But he said that it makes sense to get all low-income residents preventive health care in neighborhood clinics. When he came to Parkland in 1982, the system had no clinics and about 182,000 emergency-room visits annually.
Since then, the system opened neighborhood clinics countywide, and the emergency-room visits fell to 145,000 even though the population has nearly doubled.
"The truth is, if you don't provide this care in the clinic, you'll provide this service in the emergency room," Dr. Anderson said.
AT WHAT PRICE?
Two studies were created this year estimating the cost of expanding nonemergency health care to illegal immigrants in the John Peter Smith Hospital system. One was created by Allied Communities of Tarrant, which supports the expansion, and the other by Phase 2 Consulting on behalf of JPS.
ACT study
Current cost $2 million to $4.2 million
Estimated number of illegal immigrants 96,800
Percentage of illegal immigrants projected to use the new service 27 percent
Phase 2 study
Current cost $41.3 million
Estimated number of illegal immigrants 107,000
Percentage of illegal immigrants projected to use the new service 7 percent
Nonemergency services for illegal immigrants debated
08:24 PM CDT on Saturday, September 15, 2007
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
jmosier@dallasnews.com
A poor illegal immigrant who goes to the John Peter Smith Hospital emergency room in Fort Worth gets the same care at the same price as any other indigent resident.
COURTNEY PERRY/DMN
The Rev. Sergio Diaz is working to expand health care services available for illegal immigrants in Tarrant County. But the same person who goes to a JPS clinic for nonemergency treatment is often faced with a hefty bill. Unlike other large urban public hospital systems in Texas, JPS excludes illegal immigrants from its charity program that provides preventive healthcare.
Trying to balance politics, medicine and money, the Tarrant County Hospital Board of Managers will debate and possibly decide Tuesday whether to spend millions to provide free or low-cost nonemergency medical care to thousands of illegal immigrants.
The Rev. Sergio Diaz of Iglesia San Miguel, an Episcopal church in Fort Worth, said he has been fighting for this issue because of the damage caused by inadequate health care. He said members of his church – many of them illegal immigrants – can't get preventive health care and that some have died from complications from treatable diseases such as diabetes.
"This touches my heart because most of my people are immigrants," said Mr. Diaz, a member of Allied Communities of Tarrant. "I've seen a lot of people suffering."
Health care has become a major part of the national debate about illegal immigration, and the costs even led Dallas County officials to send bills to Mexico and other countries demanding payment for some of its expenses at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Also Online
09/15/07: Hispanics shift hospitals' resources
The debate has also been simmering for more than a year in Tarrant County, where Allied Communities of Tarrant, a coalition of churches and social-justice activists, has pushed for the expansion of charity care. At the same time, a local conservative group favoring a crackdown on illegal immigration has been urging the board to retain the existing policy.
Dennis Killy, a member of the Tarrant Alliance for Responsible Government, said expanding cheap health care to illegal immigrants is an insult to citizens and to those who came to the United States legally. It simply rewards those who ignore federal law, he said.
"Where does it end?" Mr. Killy said. "When do we stop paying our tax money for something we're getting nothing for?"
Mr. Killy said he believes a significant majority of board members support his group's position and would not change the JPS policy. Officials with Allied Communities of Tarrant said they think it's going to be a closer vote.
Three board members, Erma C. Johnson Hadley, Dan Serna and Ronnie W. Coulson, all declined to comment on how they might vote.
"It's my obligation to leave my mind open," Mr. Serna said.
Mrs. Johnson Hadley, board chairwoman, said this is a difficult decision that generates strong opinions and mixed emotions among many people. She said she met with Sen. John Cornyn and told him that this is something that needs to be addressed in Washington.
"We feel somewhat put out that we're having to deal with a federal issue," she said.
Differing figures
People supporting a tougher stance on illegal immigration see this as a critical financial issue. They worry that a change in policy will cost taxpayers dearly.
The cost of this possible expansion, however, depends on who's adding the numbers.
The hospital district hired Phase 2 Consulting of Austin to conduct a study, which was released in July.
Estimating the number of illegal immigrants in Tarrant County at 107,000, the study calculated that expanding the charity program would cost the hospital district an additional $41.3 million right now. That number would increase to $114.4 million by 2017, according to the study.
Allied Communities of Tarrant conducted its own study in February that came to a dramatically different conclusion. Quoting 18th-century literary figure Samuel Johnson and a passage from the Bible's book of Leviticus in the introduction, the alternative study estimated the cost to be between $2 million and $4.2 million added to the hospital district's $600 million-plus budget.
Parkland officials estimated their cost for nonemergency care for illegal immigrants was $22.4 million in the past year – about halfway between the two Tarrant County estimates.
Patricia Gaffney, a member of Allied Communities of Tarrant who helped research and write the report, challenged some of the basic assumptions of the Phase 2 study. She said that study projects a 56 percent increase in Tarrant County's illegal immigrant population in the next decade even though federal reports show that illegal immigration is decreasing.
Ms. Gaffney also said the Phase 2 study overestimates the number of illegal immigrants who would use the service. Many are wary of government programs because of their immigration status, she said.
Mr. Killy said he is more likely to believe an independent, third-party report than one created by a group advocating for one side of the issue.
Dave McElwee, another member of Tarrant Alliance for Responsible Government, said that aside from the immediate cost, he also worries about the message that expanded health care would send.
"I think there ought to be programs for the indigent but not for those in the country illegally," he said. "All this does is act as a magnet for other illegals."
No extra funds now
If the board votes Tuesday to expand health care, it's not clear how quickly such a change would be implemented, JPS senior vice president Robert Earley said. He said the board and Tarrant County Commissioners have already approved the 2007-08 budget, and no funds are set aside for additional health care costs for illegal immigrants.
This is the second time this issue has come up for Tarrant County. For part of 2004, the board opened up all its programs to illegal immigrants. JPS officials were uncertain about whether a new state law allowed or mandated them to provide nonemergency charity services to illegal immigrants. Mr. Early said a ruling by the Texas attorney general and statements of intent from the sponsor clarified that the law didn't require the expansion.
At the time, JPS officials said the expanded program cost them up to $4 million for six months. Mr. Earley said the participation was probably limited three years ago because the program wasn't actively promoted by the hospital district and there were questions about how long it would last.
The board voted in August 2004 to make immigration status a factor for the JPS charity nonemergency care.
Officials with Allied Communities of Tarrant and the Texas Hospital Association also said most urban public hospitals in the state don't limit health care service because of immigration status, but neither had conducted a comprehensive study.
Dr. Ron Anderson, chief executive of Parkland Memorial Hospital, which does not exempt illegal immigrants from its charity programs, said the decision by JPS did not affect his system.
But he said that it makes sense to get all low-income residents preventive health care in neighborhood clinics. When he came to Parkland in 1982, the system had no clinics and about 182,000 emergency-room visits annually.
Since then, the system opened neighborhood clinics countywide, and the emergency-room visits fell to 145,000 even though the population has nearly doubled.
"The truth is, if you don't provide this care in the clinic, you'll provide this service in the emergency room," Dr. Anderson said.
AT WHAT PRICE?
Two studies were created this year estimating the cost of expanding nonemergency health care to illegal immigrants in the John Peter Smith Hospital system. One was created by Allied Communities of Tarrant, which supports the expansion, and the other by Phase 2 Consulting on behalf of JPS.
ACT study
Current cost $2 million to $4.2 million
Estimated number of illegal immigrants 96,800
Percentage of illegal immigrants projected to use the new service 27 percent
Phase 2 study
Current cost $41.3 million
Estimated number of illegal immigrants 107,000
Percentage of illegal immigrants projected to use the new service 7 percent
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