Thousands of undocumented workers arrive in the United States each day. They face a potentially hostile environment, vulnerable to harassment and deportation on a daily basis, for the opportunity to work the jobs deemed most undesirable by Americans. For working in these conditions undocumented immigrants receive no commendation, no hazard pay or benefits. Yet their contributions to our community are unmistakable because they have an impact in almost every industry and have a major role in feeding us, clothing us, and providing us with shelter. As legal residents, we have the comfort of having three of our basic necessities provided by illegal residents but in exchange we do not allow illegal residents access to another necessity: healthcare. For this reason, denying healthcare to the undocumented is a human rights violation because those who sustain us are not allowed to sustain themselves.
Health is a universal need, but today has become a dichotomized condition pitting “right” versus “privilege” as definitions. In essence, we argue over whether there should be criteria for utilizing healthcare, and if so what constitute fair requirements. Two prerequisites for healthcare commonly used to deny its provision are income and legal status. Historically, rights have been reserved for those with privilege, and have only been shared following radical change. The right to vote, for example, was originally reserved for white men and reinforced by the requirement to be a land-owner, their exclusive privilege, in order to qualify. Successful social movements eventually made room for women and people of color in the voting booth.
Similar to past voter disenfranchisement, bias and faulty logic are pervading the political process once again, targeting undocumented members of our communities. Immigrants have never received a warm welcome in this country and U.S. history is littered with examples of immigrant exploitation. Undocumented immigrants are often labeled as parasitic, utilizing our resources without contributing anything positive. In reality, the relationship is closer to the opposite.
Undocumented immigrants work, contribute to the economy and possibly social security but receive minimal or no reimbursement from their employer or the government.
As we all reap the benefits and profits of low-wage undocumented labor, some of us have the audacity to declare healthcare a privilege while considering it a right for those with purchasing power and legal status to have access.
Once the new healthcare legislation is implemented, U.S citizens will be able to purchase from a broader and more affordable selection of health policies at their convenience without having to worry about any preexisting conditions. As a U.S. citizen, I will have the license to be as irresponsible as I like with my health fully knowing that I can enroll in health insurance at any time. In fact, we will all be mandated to do so. If health insurance is so important the federal government is now requiring everyone to have coverage, then undocumented community members should have access as well. Perhaps it is the diagnosis of their legal status that precludes them from having the same health vulnerabilities as the rest of the population.
Undocumented immigrants can consume goods and services, every business would accept their money, but it is illegal for them to purchase any form of health insurance. Albeit I do not know how many undocumented immigrants can afford health insurance, but the right to access is still reserved for the privileged.
Photo Courtesy of Sodahead.com
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