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This man, "Wladyslaw Haniszewski — an uninsured and undocumented immigrant who had lived in the U.S. for about 30 years" was taken to RWJ in New Brunswick where he suffered a stroke and fell into a coma. While unconscious, he was sent to a hospital in Poland because of this law:
"U.S. hospitals are legally bound to give emergency care to all, but can effectively deport stabilized undocumented patients through a little-known process called 'medical repatriation'. They must first get consent either from the patient, family or a court guardian. In Haniszewski’s case — first reported in the Polish-language paper Nowy Dziennik — consular officials say this did not happen." He woke up in Poland.
Now his family, friends, and Polish and some American officials are up in arms at the way this went down. I feel bad for him, I do, but illegal is illegal IMO. Who would have footed his bill in the NJ hospital? Poland is paying for him at the Polish hospital he's now at, but he IS a Polish citizen, not a U.S. citizen.
Sticky subject, yes, but what do you all think about it?
There has to be more to this story. I'm wondering if he has felony charges somewhere that have surfaced. Hospitals in NJ treat undocumented immigrants many times daily and no one gets "legal" about it. Undocumented immigrants would avoid necessary treatment if hospitals did get "legal" routinely. It's unethical.
There has to be more to this story. I'm wondering if he has felony charges somewhere that have surfaced. Hospitals in NJ treat undocumented immigrants many times daily and no one gets "legal" about it. Undocumented immigrants would avoid necessary treatment if hospitals did get "legal" routinely. It's unethical.
this is the unfortunate truth (except the part about it being unethical).
There has to be more to this story. I'm wondering if he has felony charges somewhere that have surfaced. Hospitals in NJ treat undocumented immigrants many times daily and no one gets "legal" about it. Undocumented immigrants would avoid necessary treatment if hospitals did get "legal" routinely. It's unethical.
Maybe the issue is that he had underlying health problems (blood disease) and was in a coma when they decided to deport him. Who knows how long he would have required hospital care, with no insurance and no record of being a citizen because he isn't one?
As the law says, anyone needs to be cared for in ERs but maybe requiring extended care is a different story for illegal immigrants. Taking care of these people isn't cheap, why spend money on someone who isn't even a citizen? I'm all for it. I get that these people have been living here for a long time and have established lives here as if they are citizens, but they should always know they're at risk for deportation if discovered. They don't have a right to complain once it happens IMO. That should be a reason to want to do things legally, but people would rather not and then complain when they get sent out. Their choice.
My my, imagine his surprise when he woke up from the coma.
That's why you can feel for him and his situation, but then again, as I've said, people who have never bothered to become a legal citizen should always have this type of scenario (or any other involving them being deported) in the back of their minds. But many don't, and people blame the U.S. for deporting illegal immigrants and campaign for their return or some sort of justice. It's very twisted IMO.
who are we allowed to deport? When can someone be asked if they are a citizen and if they are not, what happens? Seems to be really hard to deport someone. I wonder what other countries do
who are we allowed to deport? When can someone be asked if they are a citizen and if they are not, what happens? Seems to be really hard to deport someone. I wonder what other countries do
other countries actually shoot you if you try to cross their border illegally. they can ask people to show ID anywhere at anytime and they deport.
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