On his ride back to Indiantown from a landscaping job one afternoon nearly a decade ago, Luis Alberto Jimenez’s destiny collided with the front end of a stolen van. The impact killed two passengers in the car he was in and landed the van’s drunken driver, Donald Flewellen, in prison for nearly 10 years on a DUI manslaughter charge.
The crash also left Jimenez, an illegal Guatemalan immigrant, with debilitating injuries and the cognitive ability of a fourth-grader.
Jimenez has become the center of a legal battle between the hospital that flew him back to Guatemala after spending more than $1 million on his care and Jimenez’s family members who say the hospital falsely imprisoned him and deported him so it would no longer have to pay to treat him. The case is at the forefront of national debates on health care and immigration…
Against objections from Montejo (Jimenez’ cousin) and his attorney – after two years – a judge eventually sided with Martin Memorial. Montejo filed an appeal, but less than a day later hospital officials took Jimenez to Guatemala on a chartered jet…
An appeals court in 2004 overturned Judge Fennelly’s decision, saying he had no jurisdiction to authorize the return…
Martin Memorial officials declined last week to comment on the specifics of the case. They said their situation reflects those of hospitals across the country.
“Unfortunately, the cost of providing that care is rising and the burden of paying the health care bill for many undocumented immigrants is falling on hospitals and health systems that simply cannot afford to pay it,” hospital communications director Ronda Wilburn said in an e-mail.
I don’t know of another country that spends so much time feeling guilty over the plight of those who enter the country illegally. Should we just pick up the tab for everything?
I read that the employer of a foriegner working in China
is responsible for the employees medical expenses.
Thats how it should be in the U.S.
That should be part of immigration reform
Absolutely yes, they should be deported. Illegals and their supporters should be demanding their rights in their own country!
It also makes no sense to pay our unemployed to sit home while the Democrats let illegals work their jobs and send the bulk of their money out of this country, therefore making OUR economic situation even worse. Virginia alone paid out just over 1/2 Billion dollars for all of Jan-Dec 2008 and has already reached half of that just from Jan-March 2009!
It’s hypoctitical to sound concerned about our unemployment rate when they are sitting on programs that would give at least 5-6 Million jobs back to OUR unemployed and start growing our economy. Mandating E-Verify and the IMAGE Program would accomplish that and A LOT more, including saving all of US Billions a year; but no, they spew the rhetoric of saving or creating jobs when it costs NO additional dollars for these programs! For a complete list of E-Verify and the IMAGE Program benefits call Mary 757-887-6629 866-887-6629
leticia olalia morales of 15501 pasadena ave #8 tustin ca 92780 submitted fake documents and paid a consul 5000.00 dollars to obtain a US tourist visa. she is now applying for citizenship.