FROM SACRAMENTO — The swine flu scare may be hype. Maybe not. Either way, it's reassuring to know that hospital emergency rooms and community clinics are treating anyone who's sick, including illegal immigrants.
"Swine flu knows no borders," notes Carmela Castellano-Garcia, chief executive of the California Primary Care Assn., an organization of roughly 700 clinics. "It pays no regard to income or immigration status."
Hardly a day goes by that I don't receive at least one e-mail from someone complaining about tax dollars "wasted" on illegal immigrants.
Here's an excerpt on Friday from Dink: "Thanks to your 'buddy' Arnold, I'm paying more taxes so that illegal immigrants can use the nearest emergency room as their primary doctor's office. . . . "
First, it's a good bet that Gov. Schwarzenegger does not consider me a "buddy" after all I've written about his Sacramento stewardship over the years. But if he had just listened to. . . . Never mind.
Second, the governor has nothing to do with the fact that emergency rooms are forbidden from denying care to anyone, whether they're in the country illegally or not. That's federal law.
The nonpartisan legislative analyst figures that so-called emergency services for illegal immigrants cost the state $536 million annually in Medi-Cal funds.
One can argue, as I have, that our borders should be protected and respected. People should come here the right way, legally. And, fortunately, the Obama administration has signaled its intent to crack down on employers who illegally hire undocumented workers.
That said, they are here -- an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants nationwide, nearly 3 million in California. About 90% of California's share are from Latin America; 65% from Mexico, suspected incubator of the swine flu.
Many e-mailers want to round 'em all up and truck them back to Mexico. Even if that were logistically possible, only the federal government legally can do it. The feds also are responsible for guarding the border.
But many immigrants, especially those living in Southern California, periodically crisscross the border visiting their friends and families.
Do we really want someone who's sneezing, coughing and exhibiting flu-like symptoms that are contagious to be trying to ride it out without seeing a doctor? Not if we're sane and attempting to contain an epidemic.
