Tag: klattimore

Should Health Care Require Citizenship?

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Obama

When it comes to  Hispanics and health care many in the community feel they are getting the short end of the stick. This is largely due to President Obama’s new health care reform plan that he has put forth to Congress. President Obama’s proposal has caused quite a stir in Congress which is partly due to the issue of legal and illegal immigrants. Many  in the Hispanic community feel that when it comes to Hispanics the issue of illegal immigrants is always at the forefront.
This is largely due to the fact that there is the belief that illegal immigrants are taking advantage of the benefits of tax paying Americans and free loading. There is no better example of this sentiment then the outburst of Representative Joe Wilson during a session of Congress where he states,”You lie!” accusing President Obama of lying about the health coverage of illegal immigrants in the new heath care reform and that the reform would really give illegal immigrants coverage he believes they do not deserve.
However, there are some facts to be considered in the issue :
  • Latinos represent 15% of the population and between the year 2005 and 2050 it is expected to be 60%
  • 34% of Hispanics do not have insurance
  • Legal immigrants who pay full taxes tend to use public health services less than Americans
  • Legal immigrants are required to wait 5 years before applying for Medicaid and Medicare

Taking in all these factors it is apparent that adequate health care is a dire need for legal and illegal immigrants.  The fact of the matter is that access to  adequate health care should not be solely contingent upon residency status in the United States but on the needs of the citizens.

To see more photos about health care reform click here.

A New Kind of Harvest This Year

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feliz!!!
migrant worker Feliz Gutierez Gomez on Indiana farm

 

Do you know who picked your fruit today? Well you might be a bit more interested with the passing of new regulations for H2A Visa for migrant workers by President Obama.   President Obama reformed the past guest worker regulations from those of President Bush’s administration, which many felt favored the employer.

 President Obama changed the regulations so that employees had more rights in terms of wages and contracts, while employers now have more responsibility in terms of documenting workers’ hours and better salaries for workers.

 The majority of migrant workers in the United States are from Mexico and Central America and therefore the most affected by this new legislation. Many in the Hispanic community feel that the reforms are a much needed change to a system that exploited its workers. It would ensure that seasonal employees are paid fairly and treated as workers and not as pack mules.

 The Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis stated to Univision. com that the changes to this program reflect the promise of “fair salaries and strong labor safeguards for the most vulnerable labor group.”   However, those on the employer side of the situation feel that the H2A Visa’s.

 Tom Nassif, president of Western Growers, stated that President Obama’s new regulations reverse President Bush’s old policy on migrant workers which made it easier for farmers to hire foreign workers.  However I believe that this is only because the employers would now be forced to document the workers’ true hours and pay them accordingly and fairly.

 Who is Covered?

  • Worker must be temporary/less than one year
  • Employer can show that work is truly temporary or seasonal

 Requirements?

  • Employer must keep records of the hours each worker actually worked
  • Each worker must be provided a wage statement showing hours worked