The healthcare system in the U.S. faces great demand and pressure from Americans, both documented and undocumented. Undocumented immigrants often put much pressure on the system because the government does not plan for this population. Many immigrants who come to the U.S. intend to find an optimal place to pursue their personal and professional aspirations. Still, most immigrants are fleeing conflicts in their home countries. However, this is not precisely true regarding healthcare accessibility due to their immigration status. They have limited access to public services and are economically insecure since they cannot find a good job that pays well (Brenner et al., 2021). The healthcare sector is one of the most affected by undocumented immigrants.
The issue of whether health care is a right or a privilege is one of the controversial and most debated issues in the world. Although health care could be a right for everyone in the country, the government has to plan for the people it wants to provide quality health; therefore, I oppose the use of taxpayers’ money to offer free medical health to individuals who come to the U.S illegally and do not want to put straight their immigration status (Conover, 2018). A government has to collect taxes and plan with it depending on the number of people living legally within its borders; therefore, offering health care services to undocumented immigrants will mean the documented immigrants and natives of the country will, at some point, miss on the health care services. As a human, it is a fundamental right to receive health care services; however, immigrants should be encouraged to stay clear in the U.S. to help them receive services without disenfranchising anybody.
References
Brenner, J. M., Blutinger, E., Ricke, B., Vearrier, L., Kluesner, N. H., & Moskop, J. C. (2021). Ethical issues in the access to emergency care for undocumented immigrants. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open, 2(3), e12461. https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.12461
Conover, C. (2018, April 28). Why Federal taxpayers should not fund healthcare for unauthorized immigrants. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2018/04/28/why-federal-taxpayers-should-not-fund-health-care-for-unauthorized-immigrants/?sh=2ba3c6ca4b59