Reporting from Tucson - Cristina, an illegal immigrant living in South Tucson, recently went to a government office to sign up her children for a state-run Medicaid program.
The boy and girl, ages 7 and 3, respectively, are U.S. citizens and entitled to the benefits. But Cristina, who spoke on condition her last name not be used, was fearful. She'd heard of a new state law requiring public workers to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement when illegal immigrants apply for benefits they are not legally entitled to.
So when workers asked Cristina, 32, for identification, she fled. She now says she has no way to treat her daughter's liver problems or her son's asthma and impacted tooth.
Cristina, a single mother and part-time house cleaner, is even reluctant to take her children to a hospital emergency room. "I feel so alone," she said.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-immigration1-2010jan01,0,4208275.storyChristina may be the most honest person on the planet.
However, there remain some concerns.
What is to prevent Christina from signing up for welfare for her children in more than one city or state? Is there a national database to ensure that children are receiving welfare benefits from just one community? State?
Is Christina REQUIRED to provide the correct Social Security number for her children every time she applies? Or, are there loopholes that allow her NOT to supply the number for her children?
Are there national checks to ensure that the Social Security numbers of children are not receiving the same or similar welfare benefits in more than one community? Are there national database checks to ensure that the Social Security numbers of children are not receiving income that would disqualify them from benefits?
Food stamp use has been de-stigmatized. In many places, recipients get a plastic card they swipe at the grocery store. No different from a debit or credit card. Anyone ever see a food stamp user get asked for ID? Easy to sell.
If she’s working, is she paying taxes? Maybe she makes too much to qualify for benefits for her children? How is the state verifying her income?
How can the state verify her income? Is she providing a Social Security number of Tax Identification number? Is she a vagrant? Only in this country for welfare?
What about the father of the children? How much is he contributing to their care? Welfare benefits? Does he have a job?
I seem to recall that Americans don’t like deadbeat parents. Dead beat moms and dads are tracked down, wages garnished, court order to support their children, and maybe sent to jail if they don’t.
A child has to eat. The welfare system, taxpayers, are not this child's father or mother.
What of the benefits Christina does receive? Medical care? Is free medical care counted as family income or perhaps as a gift?
If she went home, surely she would receive medical benefits for her children. Other welfare programs too.
When is someone going to look out for taxpayers? Americans and those here legally?
Why didn’t Christina apply to come here legally?
