No Medicaid For Daca Recipients

How can the United States government give free health care to those who are here illegally, when there are so many U.S. citizens today that are without health care. In the article ‘New York will guarantee Medicaid for Dreamers no matter what happens in Washington’ Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that no matter what decision Washington makes, “he wanted to guarantee the migrants health coverage” in the state of New York. Those who fall under the DACA policy should not be eligible for Medicaid, due to the fact that they are not citizens.

Since it is the state taxpayers that are footing the bill they should have some say, or even a choice to opt out. They may be struggling to get by and yet they are giving their hard-earned money to those here illegally. What happens when the ones that are here illegally but not under DACA, demand to receive the same benefits? How far are we going to go? How long before we not only take in everyone and give them all free health care?

America was once a great and prosperous country, built from immigrants from all over the world. Unfortunately, we are growing so quickly, that the money it takes in order to help those that need it, may not always be available.

We need to start by taking care of the Americans and stop trying to save everyone else. The money that would normally go to Medicaid for illegals could be divided up and used to help those Americans that are homeless, need mental health, or even to help our Veterans. During the process of helping immigrants, we have let more than a few Americans slip through the cracks.

I have taken quite a few Human Service class and the most important thing I have learned, is that, in order for me to be able to help others, I need to make sure that I’m taken care of first. We need to start with Americans, making sure that everyone of them has not only health care but our basic needs in order to live. There are so many Americans that do not even have the basics, yet we are giving illegal immigrants all the benefits that should be afforded to citizens. When do we draw the line and stop helping those who will not help themselves?

Theodore Roosevelt’s thoughts on “Immigrants and being an American” was a perfect description of what an immigrant should be. He States that “if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else”. This is what this country should live by. If you are here illegally then you are not entitled to any benefits. This being said, those who fall under the DACA policy should not be eligible for Medicaid, due to the fact that they are not citizens.

Dinan, Stephen. “New York will guarantee Medicaid for Dreamers no matter what happens in Washington.” The Washington Times, The Washington Times, 23 Jan. 2018, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/23/ny-guarantee-medicaid-dreamers-no-matter-what/.

“Immigrants.” Immigrants - OCHIA, www1.nyc.gov/site/ochia/find-what-fits/immigrants.page.

Roosevelt, Theodore. “Theodore Roosevelt on Immigration.” Snopes.com, 6 Nov. 2017, www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/troosevelt.asp.