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It is false that undocumented immigrants have greater access to health care than Americans

2022-02-05T20:38:22.925Z


Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson attacked undocumented immigrants by saying they have easier access to health care and ballot papers than people born in the US Both claims are false. 


By Nuzaiba Mizan —

Politifact

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, who is seeking re-election in Texas's 13th congressional district, made a startling statement on Twitter about undocumented immigrants that drew more than 6,000 responses from other users.

Jackson tweeted on January 16: "In 2022, illegal immigrants will have MORE FREEDOMS and easier access to health care and the ballot box than most Americans... Just think about it."

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Jackson's office did not respond to our calls and emails requesting a source to support his words.

So we decided to take a look at two key aspects of his claim: undocumented immigrants' alleged access to ballots and to health care. 

Is it true that undocumented people have “more freedoms” and easier access to health care and the ballot box compared to most Americans?

No access to ballots

Immigrants without legal authorization to live in the country

cannot vote in federal and state elections

, explained Matthew Weil, director of the Elections Project at the Washington-based Bipartisan Policy Center.

The project explores and analyzes electoral legislation to keep legislators informed. 


Ronny Jackson was the Physician to the President between 2013 and 2018, during the Obama and Trump Administrations.

He has been a Republican congressman for Texas since January 2021. Alex Brandon / AP

Nearly every locality in the United States, and every one in Texas, limits elections to citizens only.

Even in the small handful of places where non-citizens can vote in local elections, only immigrants with papers are allowed to vote.

Weil pointed to New York City as an example of the few localities that allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.

The city allows DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) holders to vote, but not all undocumented immigrants, the Associated Press reported.

Under no circumstances can non-citizens vote in federal elections.

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“I don't know of any jurisdiction that would allow someone who is here without documents to go to the polls,” Weil said.

An estimated 1.7 million undocumented people live in Texas, according to 2019 figures from the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan public policy research body.

More than 20% of those undocumented immigrants have been in the United States for 20 years or more, according to the institute. 

No health coverage from federal programs

Unauthorized immigrants are excluded from federal health care programs, said Anne Dunkelberg, associate director of Every Texan, an Austin-based public policy institute.

This includes Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and coverage through the Obamacare Marketplace.

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Based on its research, Every Texan advocates for Texas to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), something 38 states have already done.

That expansion would not include immigrants living in the United States illegally.

Dunkelberg said there is an exception where providers can recover the cost of treating an unauthorized immigrant in an emergency situation.

But even that emergency funding for health providers is subject to the same restrictions as Medicaid for adult citizens in Texas.

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“So hospital emergency rooms can't turn away people with real emergencies, regardless of whether they don't have insurance, regardless of their immigration status.

They have to treat you in real emergencies,” Dunkelberg said.

“That is why there is a provision for emergency room visits for a very limited number of undocumented immigrants, not even all of them.”

Undocumented people have access to some state and local health programs, which can be funded by federal grants.

This patchwork of programs addresses issues like mental health, immunizations, and communicable diseases.

However, these programs do not involve health care coverage, Dunkelberg said.

That care is not free, and in many cases, program costs work on a sliding scale.

Such programs are also available to citizens.

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At the local level, counties can choose to serve uninsured, undocumented immigrants through medical assistance programs.

Those without a health plan and seeking care must meet specific income requirements.

Dunkelberg said that most major urban counties in Texas choose to provide care for unauthorized immigrants without insurance.

States also have the option to provide prenatal care to women, regardless of their immigration status, through the children's health insurance program, explained Ruth Wasem, a professor of public policy at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs. .

Wasem said this option was created by former President George W. Bush.

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Texas is one of those states that opts for the CHIP perinatal program (prenatal, delivery and postpartum care) for unauthorized immigrants.

Even with limited emergency Medicaid, it's an exaggeration to say that undocumented immigrants have "easier access" than most Americans.

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“There is no aspect of that that is superior to the access that American citizens have,” Dunkelberg said.

Although Jackson ran the White House Medical Unit as physician to the president in the Obama and Trump administrations, he appears to be confused in terms of health care.

our verdict

Rep. Ronny Jackson tweeted: "In 2022, illegal immigrants will have MORE FREEDOMS and easier access to health care and the ballot box than most Americans... Just think about it."

Undocumented immigrants do not have access to ballots for federal, state, and most local elections.

And while immigrants may have access to some health care programs depending on where they live, they also don't qualify for health coverage with federal money.

They do qualify for the Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage, even if they pay the costs without the ACA subsidy.

Therefore, we

consider Jackson's claim to be false.

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2022-02-05

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