Quelino Ojeda Jimenez And The Cost Of No Immigration Reform

Okay, this is a really, really sad story that takes us to the extremes of why we all need immigration reform in this country from The Chicago Tribune. Thanks to Graeme for the tip.

Quelino Ojeda Jimenez, 20, an undocumented immigrant from México who fell off a roof four months ago in Illinois, and since lost the ability to speak, breathe or move most of his body. He was then transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center, which spent $650,000 on his medical care. Then, without getting his consent or making sure he’d be cared for, spent $60,000 to deport him to México. Now he’s in an hospital so short on resources that he’s probably going to die.

Let’s take this point-by-point.

1.) Jimenez was in the country illegally — yes, but someone was willing to hire him. And, if he fell off a roof and suffered that much damage, he was either not trained, supervised or working under safe conditions. So yes, he came without papers, but what of the person who hired him and/or condemned him to such an unsafe workplace?

2.) We’re in a recession and the hospital spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on his care. I would say, first, see point 1, isn’t that precisely what OSHA is for? Next, I would say that, in the grand scheme of things with Wall Street bailouts and what-not, $700,000 is not that much money if you’re trying to scapegoat Jimenez for wasting resources. What’s more, if you want to talk about medical care monies wasted, there’s plenty of blame to go around with U.S. citizens.

3.) Deporting him isn’t cruel, it’s just sending him home. I can see that point, but I don’t agree with it. First off, hospitals aren’t in the business of immigration — that’s the federal government’s job. Secondly, as far as I know, Jimenez didn’t go through legal deportation proceedings before getting sent home. Hospital administrators just made that decision. Finally, let’s not forget to mention the ethical obligations of medical providers.

I’m sure not everyone will agree with me, but I think we can all agree this is a tragic, tragic story. Here’s a 20 year-old person who came here under the radar, but somehow managed to find work. He gets sub-contracted out, falls 20 feet, and now can barely move his fingers and speak. And no one wants him or can care for him.

Everyone loses: Jimenez’s youth is gone forever, his family is condemned to even more poverty, the hospitals are out hundreds of thousands of dollars, but there’s one group that’s unaffected. The contracting company, Imperial Roofing, that hired Jimenez has since shut down operations because of the economy. Case closed, huh?