Lincoln Chafee: “I hope everybody will listen to this because we think it is important. Illegal immigrants now are entitled to a series…”

“I hope everybody will listen to this because we think it is important. Illegal immigrants now are entitled to a series of limited benefits, such as emergency Medicaid, prenatal Medicaid services, nutrition programs, and public assistance for immunizations. Illegal aliens are entitled to this. This is not the big broad scope of things. This is limited. What we are saying is legal immigrants should be entitled to the same thing. It is a little odd to say that the illegals can get these. Why do we give them to those individuals, the illegals? It is for the benefit of public health overall. It seems to me that the legal immigrants should likewise be entitled to immunization, prenatal, and postpartum Medicaid services. That is what it is all about. It is a limited group. It is not going to break the budget, but certainly the legals under equity should be entitled to what the illegals are entitled to. Thank you.”