Selling U.S. citizenship? Arizona hospital markets to Mexican mothers-to-be
Filed under: Healthcare
Medical tourism usually involves U.S. citizens going abroad to obtain low-cost care for serious conditions. Now one Tucson, Arizona hospital is fighting back by marketing its delivery room to Mexican mothers-to-be. And those who choose to come north to give birth get something extra no other country can offer: U.S. citizenship for their child.
According to the Arizona Daily Star, for almost 30 years hospitals in the Southwest have served expectant mothers from other countries that come here to give birth, taking advantage of the Immigration and Nationality Act that makes anyone born in the U.S. a citizen.
Tucson Medical Center, however, is the first to aggressively market its obstetrics program south of the border. The center does not mention the opportunity for citizenship in its marketing materials, but interested mothers-to-be will no doubt be fully aware of that value-added subtext.
The center has created "birth packages" with options such as shopping excursions and spa stays. The packages are not tailored to the poor; a hospital spokesperson told the Star that some of its customers arrive on private jets. Although the packages aren't cheap (they range from $2,300 to $4,600), how much do you suppose an American citizenship is worth? If we auctioned one off, I'm sure it would sell for many times the cost of a "birth package," based on the value of the economic opportunities alone.
On second thought, maybe citizenship isn't such a great deal for the tot. Today every citizen's share of the national debt is $37,580.65, or 506,154 Mexican pesos.
A lower-cost alternative to the "birth package" took place on the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso last year when a woman in labor managed to cross into U.S. territory just before giving birth. The new citizen was delivered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
I'm fully in favor of immigration; my ancestors moved here from England and I'm damned glad they did. However, I'm not convinced companies should be allowed to use citizenship as a sales tool.
Why is Oprah going to cable? Hint: It's nothing to get teary about
Kisses from Hershey: Candymaker may court Cadbury with $17 billion bid
D-Day for Harry Reid: Can he wrangle 60 votes for Senate health reform bill?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
7-10-2009 @ 12:40PM
sm said...
The Constitution, not the INA, establishes jus soli as the basis for birthright citizenship.
Reply
7-11-2009 @ 10:06AM
earsstinks said...
Monicaj--So now you are a perfect ass hole !
7-10-2009 @ 8:22PM
earsstinks said...
Monicaj--So what your saying is that your a perfect ass hole now after using the colon cleanser ?
7-10-2009 @ 8:26PM
bill said...
Sorry, pal, but nowhere in the Constitution does it grant automatic citizenship to anyone born on American soil if their parents are not citizens. That was specifically enacted by Congress in the Immigration & Nationality Act.
7-10-2009 @ 9:12PM
matt said...
learn to spell
are country and state are being invaded
we need to stand up and fight!!!
7-10-2009 @ 10:07PM
ramtruck2500@aol.com said...
Then we need it amended and be done with this stupidness!
7-10-2009 @ 10:26PM
Paul said...
yup the US Constitution amendment 14 says anyone born in the US is a citizen
7-11-2009 @ 1:51AM
Jean said...
This hospital should be ashamed. This is just another way to get people here without going thru the proper steps to enter and live in this country. After giving birth then the mother will be another person on welfare using the tax dollars paid by us and nothing from her being put back in.
7-11-2009 @ 2:53AM
Master Shake said...
14th Amendment: Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.......... and the Immigration and Naturalization Act (Sec. 1401 - meaning Amendment 14, Section 1) passed in the 1950's is only intended to clarify the interpretation of that law, as far as I see.
7-27-2009 @ 7:21PM
a_bus said...
you are correct the constution does not allow for birth right citizen-ship to non citizens.
If people are talking about I think the 18 amendment which provided for citizen ship to Aferican American Slaves after the civil war, that was all it was for not for Mexican mothers or other forigen people coming to the US to get citizen-ship for the childeren.
A-bus THE UNDERGROUND
7-10-2009 @ 8:16PM
Debbie said...
This is crap. We already have tooooo many people here that are citizens via this loop hole. It's been going on for years. We used to have mothers in Yuma that would wait until the last minute, cross the border and present to the hospital in full blown labor so we couldn't refuse them.
First off, I don't think any child born in the U.S. should be granted Citizenship unless 1 of the parents are Legal U.S. Citizens and paying taxes. I'm tired of these kids sucking our government systems dry. From medical to schooling. Ridiculous.
Reply
7-11-2009 @ 11:40AM
Thompson said...
Totally agree. I work at a hopspital that hardly sees legal US citizens. My institution should refuse Federal government dollars so that it can only care for US Citizens. Amazing how many illegal women patients claim they have no income, no husband to support her and her endless kids and yet she and her kids have gold medallions, designer purses, late model cars or trucks, etc and yet cannot and does not pay much for her prenatal visits. They have lowered the poverty level to the point that an American cannot qualify for benefits - how can you competed with someone that has no income? I do not blame the illegals I blame our government and ourselves for doing nothing about it.
7-10-2009 @ 10:51PM
niki said...
Totally agree! thank you. we need more people like you in congress. not the idiots we have now.
7-10-2009 @ 9:50PM
victoria said...
I agree with you Debbie..the fact is that all of these illegals have stolen so many jobs in the construction industry all around the country by undercutting those US citizens that are paying their workman comp insurance, liability insurance etc...many many jobs have been lost to these illegals that make their money and then send it back out of the country to central american nations, never paying a dime in taxes, bringing their families and having babies like rabbits so they will become citizens themselves, get food stamps and free medical care. Meanwhile US citizens that have been here for generations are out of work, with no prospects, and we are paying for all this crap...if they have to be here make them pay taxes and keep the money here, not sending it back out to other countries!!
7-10-2009 @ 10:19PM
luddite00 said...
Victoria...... Instead of demonizing the illegal aliens who are just people like you and me, and are just desperate for a better life, how about putting the blame where it actually belongs -- The companies and corporations who hire illegal aliens. The companies that hire them so they can fire the USA worker. The companies who vilify labor unions (the ONLY unified voice for the working person). The companies who abuse every tax loophole they can so we are left holding the bag. I am so sick of individual people (citizens or aliens) who are made out to be the bad guy when it is actually the corporations, their lobbyists, and the legislators who are in their pockets who are to blame.
7-10-2009 @ 10:35PM
kira said...
Victoria shut up. They are taking jobs no one else wants to work. They are a valuable asset to america. You are just too stupid to realize it.
7-10-2009 @ 8:41PM
kelly said...
They are called anchor babies and this has been going on for a long time. Just now, a company is openly promoting it. At least One parent should be a legal citizen for 1 year for the child to get US citizenship
Reply
7-10-2009 @ 8:45PM
Jim Roberts said...
You can also buy US citizenship. It costs $500,000. There are a few other conditions but essentially that's the cost. You can use borrowed money too but you have to invest it in a business employing at least three people. From the revenues generated by the business, you can repay the loan..
Reply
7-10-2009 @ 8:52PM
Kitana said...
I'm sorry....last time I checked, citizenship is not for sale. The veterans who fought in the many wars and the countless dead did not do so just to see greedy, interprising marketing people put together a sales package to increase their bottom line. George Washington and all the Founding Fathers are spinning in their graves! Besides, don't we have enough people here "illegally" who don't pay for this? Don't we have enough "illegal" people here whom my tax dollars are supporting? Don't I have a say in where I want my tax dollars going? I have an idea if you want to sell something. Why don't you sell decient medical care to those who live and work here. Why don't you work a little harder to take care of those and their families who fight to keep your freedom free? That would be something newsworthy.
Reply
7-10-2009 @ 9:01PM
liza said...
Debbie, you are so full of it!! I am a Mexican born in the U.S.... I am an educated individual with a Masters degree... We are not the cause of today's recession... It is individuals like you and ex-president Bush that have caused this country to go into recession...You need to educate yourself before you say anything. I am sure that I have more education than you ever will in your entire life!!! You are probably one of those individuals that lives off of welfare and government support. Believe me I'm sure that those incoming immigransts work twice as hard as you ever have.
Reply