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Help on the Way for Immigration Detainees?
Last night, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 5950, tentatively called the "Detainee Basic Medical Care Act of 2008," which would "require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish procedures for the timely and effective delivery of medical and mental health care to all immigration detainees in custody, and for other purposes." Kudos to Rep. Lofgren for introducing this bill!
Earlier in the week we blogged about medical care in immigration detention, and the government's admission to some culpability in the death of detainee Francisco Castaneda. Rep. Lofgren's bill is meant to prevent the type of gross neglect that led to Francisco's death. By the time his cancer was diagnosed and treated, it had spread to other parts of his body, and ultimately killed him. The bill also increases transparency for deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Last June, after a New York Times article revealed ICE's reporting of 62 detainee deaths in its custody since 2004, the ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking more information. Documents received as a result of that FOIA request have revealed that at least 71 detainees have died in ICE custody since fiscal year 2004. The New York Times article told the story of Sandra Kenley, who died in immigration detention after repeated requests for medication to treat a hemorrhaging fibroid. Sandra's sister, June Everett, testified before the House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law last June. You can read her testimony, or listen to a podcast of her telling her sister's story.
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14 Responses to "Help on the Way for Immigration Detainees?" |
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May 20th, 2008 at 2:02pm
When you comment about immigrants, you should assure that it's known whether you are referring to LEGAL or ILLEGAL immigrants. There is a difference in the application of the RULE OF LAW. So, if you want to communicate and be understood, please make that distinction. I assume it is your desire to be honest on the subject.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:07pm
It is never the desire of the ACLU and other open borders terrorist organizations to be honest with the American people as they purposely conflate ILLEGAL immigration with legal immigration for the their support of illegal aliens and their to hell with the American people attitude. Illegal aliens violated our sovereignty, borders, immigration laws and use STOLEN social security numbers (a F-E-L-O-N-Y for you ACLU scheisters who have no understanding of this) ruining many Americans lives through identity theft as a lady who lost her house, a senior citizen who was denied social security upon retirement, another senior citizen denied medicaid benefits, a man who lost his job through outsourcing and was denied unemployment insurance, another woman falsely accused of a felony because of an illegal alien using her social security number who had an outstanding felony warrant and the IRS billed her for 1.5 million dollars in back taxes even though she hadn't worked in 10 years and the these taxes were from jobs held by 200 illegal aliens in 10 different states. Anther lady applied for social security when her husband died but was denied too as 39 illegal aliens in the Denver area were using her number. Maryland state auditors discovered 52,000 illegal aliens were receiving food stamps, welfare, cash assistance and other benefits using stolen and fraudulent social security numbers costing tax payers 500 million dollars a year even when Americans were losing their homes, jobs, pensions and health care. Americans are denied health care while illegal aliens receive chemotherapy, dialysis and organ transplants using stolen and fraudulent social security numbers and identity documents to enroll in medicaid while senior citizens and other Americans were being dropped from these programs or had benefits reduced or eliminated. Where is your outrage for Americans victimized by illegal aliens knowingly buying and using stolen social security numbers as discovered during immigration raids which you want to stop, as you are more concerned with illegal alien identity stealing felons whose families are ILLEGALLY here or illegal gave birth at taxpayer expense which is NOT the problem of already overburdened taxpayers forced to compete with the never ending flood of humanity across our borders competing for scarce health care, education, land, food, energy and other LIMITED resources. Where is your outrage for Americans in my area imprisoned for 20 years for the same offenses who are separated from their families? As attorneys I was under the impression you are required to represent and uphold the laws of our country, NOT aid and abet others who violate our laws by stifling one of the few tools that ICE has to protect Americans by conducting immigration raids to clamp down on identity theft by illegal aliens.
But I forget you have been schooled in the Joseph Stalin school of Communism and follow the Communist Manifesto so the constitution and the rights of the American people have absolutely no meaning to you. Didn't you in law school learn of the existence of the Constitution which gives the American people the sovereign right to protect, defend and preserve this nation to include securing our borders and the right of the American people to determine who we want as citizens taking into account current labor and market conditions, not the illegal rights of millions illegally here who march in our streets demanding rights afforded to citizens while chanting gringos go back to Europe and Africa stating this was their land first and threatening us with violence. It is a PRIVILEGE NOT a RIGHT to live in this country, a privilege for which much has been sacrificed by veterans, especially combat disabled as myself for which you are willing to sellout in the name of a socialist utopia. You have the false belief that it is the right of the rest of the world's impoverished to illegally enter this country and do whatever they damn well please including appropriating what is not theirs but is ours through hard work and sacrifice.
To feel any shame or remorse for the untold suffering you have inflicted on the American people and the damage you have done to this country would require a conscience of which you do not have.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:34pm
WOW!!!!
If that doesn't nail everything down perfectly.......I would have been proud to author the above comment, and stand behind that gentleman completely.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:09pm
Amen. The comment made by the maker in paragraph number 2 above should be applauded. Where are the rights of the American people?
May 21st, 2008 at 10:04pm
The ACLU is so intent on equal rights for everyone.Yet they dont realize that everything #2 states above is true.You can't give Equal rights to people that doen't enter this country legally.If this continues our society as we know it is going to be gone.Our society has already been degraded because of our wonderful politicians and everyone affraid to speek out against this.Not taking into account that we are being raped of our land and our rights.Soon enough we will have given in to much.Our ability to regain what we have lost will be a battle we can't win.We are heading for a socialist society and the american citizen will be paying for every illigals health care,wellfare checks and all the goverment aid that our politicians want to throw at these unworthy recipiants
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:38pm
The United States is responsible for treating everyone within our territory - legal or illegal - humanly and in accordance with the highest standards of justice. That is, illegal aliens have rights, and the ACLU only demands that they be accorded according to our law, custom and constitution.
This is especially important given the hatred and animosity shown towards them... they are a very vulnerable and defenseless population and it is necessary for them to have a staunch legal advocate. The ACLU, in partnership with other human rights organizations, is doing right thing by providing a check to the "militia mentality" of "by any means necessary."
At the same time, our citizens, of whatever race, have the right to be free of selective enforcement, racial profiling, and housing discrimination. The anti-immigrant laws being enacted by local and state authorities do not show the proper respect and contain no safeguards for our Hispanic citizens. This is a gross injustice and must be opposed.
The ACLU is doing a great job protecting the rights of Americans, and of all who are part of America. I support them 100%!
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:06pm
As the author of #2 above and NOT a right wing xenophobe but a former conservative democrat and now an independent what don't you understand about ILLEGAL Alan? Obviously those who violate our sovereignty, immigration laws, our borders and sovereignty not to mention a plethora of laws they continue to break including identity theft mean absolutely nothing to you. You refuse to eliminate the clog between your ears by acknowledging the problems caused by illegal immigration and as with all open borders socialists and anarchists who don't have an answer to refute my statements resort to using the race card and invoking the usual hatred b.s. Your usual crap about racism and hatred parroted by all of you defies all logic. How can you possibly say Americans forced to pay for their health care while illegal aliens receive it at taxpayer expense is racist? Tell me how we are going to contain our budget deficit while leaving our borders open allowing a never ending flood of impoverished humanity into this country using our limited resources while politicians say they can make resources as health care available and affordable to Americans.
Open borders anarchists as yourself think we have enough for the rest of the world's impoverished billions and taxpayers are obligated to support them and not to do so to you is NOT an issue of fairness and equity but is racist. You engage in obfuscation when the issue isn't about any single group illegally entering this country but involves many nationalities which you seem to ignore. A nation without borders cannot exist as a sovereign entity and we cannot subsidize the rest of the world who would like to be here. It is a simple matter of math and economics but unfortunately that logic is lost in the vast chasm of stupidity called liberalism.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:26pm
That is realy sad how some of you thinking. American citizens do crime the same way as illegals do, and many illegals pay taxes.
If anywhere in the world slavery could be still legal, that would be in the US.
First they killed the american indians, than they brought slaves from Africa and force them to work for free, abused them in many ways. They discriminated many nationality in the history. Their great grand sons now want the blood of the illegal immigrants, who work for them, wash their dishes, clean their houses and take care of their kids.
They send their own youg mans to a never ending, costly war to die, and surprise when the economy is collapse.
Just blame the illegal immigrants!
Jun 12th, 2008 at 3:43pm
If I had the resoures and the power, I would load up the ACLU Organization and the United Nations Organizatin and send them to a Country that they both would get along in, its called RUSSIA, then you would have three Organizations, which think alike, all being Communistic. The ACLU, the United Nations will be the downfall of the USA if they are not run out of this "God Bless America" Country. God Bless America and God Bless all the God fearing Christians that live and carry on the things that our fore fathers brought with them, when they settle here.
Jun 29th, 2008 at 4:33pm
Maybe just Maybe when a UACLU members family is a victim of an illegal then MAYBE jusy MAYBE they will change thier ways, Just MAYBE. Why doest the uaclu move to mexico and then you will be in your glory fighting all the abuses on the mexicans from thier own goverment GOD WILL DEAL WITH ALL OF YOU TRAITORS,WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY THAT WILL BE.
Oct 11th, 2008 at 7:47pm
I THOUGHT THE ACLU WAS AGAINST THE USE OF SLAVES, WELL WELCOME TO MODERN DAY SLAVERY , THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE ILLEGALS, WHERE IS THE ACLU NOW????
Oct 30th, 2008 at 1:59pm
Mexico imports poverty and disease to this country and we are stuck with its bill...Don't have my hard earned money in the form of ridiculous taxes be spent on illegals. Send the illegals back immediately in the same condition they came here. While we are at it - let's export the ACLU to Mexico to help fix that countries pathetic problems!
Nov 11th, 2008 at 9:54pm
My co-workers and I always wonder why so much attention and representation cannot be afforded to our United States Veterans? Immigration detainees are not only those that entered the country illegally but also those that may have entered legally but have committed crimes that jeapordize their resident status. There are Immigration faciltiies where an Immigration detainee can get faster access to specialists than our very own U.S. Veteran in the VA system. How's that for making sense?
Nov 13th, 2008 at 6:35pm
That's because, thanks to the ACLU, illegals are a protected class... besides that the ACLU Hates the military!