Illegal immigrant population difficult to determine

 

Supreme Court decided in 1982 that illegal immigrants and their children are as entitled to a public school education as American citizens. They’re also entitled to other protections provided in the 14th Amendment, including due process and equal protection provisions, the ruling said.

Emergency care must be provided regardless of a patient’s residency status. In McHenry County, hospitals within the Centegra Health System take the law a step further, said Kim Kubiak, Centegra spokeswoman. Illegal immigrants don’t need to have a medical emergency to receive treatment of any type….but hospital officials do track the dollar amount of “charity care” it provides, Kubiak said. From July 1, 2008, to June 30, the hospital system provided about $3 million in charity care to people who couldn’t pay, she said

The Office of Immigration Statistics estimated that the number of illegal immigrants living in the United States declined from 11.8 million in January 2007 to 11.6 million in January 2008, according to data released in February.

Read the rest of the story by clicking on the following:  Northwest Herald | Illegal immigrant population difficult to determine