anti-immigrant sentiment and migrant health

[Guest guest]

Dear friends and colleagues,

This is a message of personal concern. The national anti-immigrant sentiment seems to be growing, gaining in strength once again. All three so-far-declared Republican candidates for Oregon governor (in my neck of the woods) have this month made a major issue to the press of "the need to crack down on illegal immigration." This is but one of many examples, of course.

Are others involved in our movement to serve migrant farmworkers with their health care needs as concerned as I am? What can we do to be a voice of reason? I find myself wondering whether there will be efforts to classify WIC and food bank services and perhaps even C/MHC services as off limits to "non-qualified immigrants, " just as Medicaid and TANF have been since the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. Is there reason to feel reassured or unconcerned on this score, or do we need to marshall our forces to be better advocates?

I would invite dialogue in these listservs on the subject rather than responses sent only to me.

Sincerely,

Tina Castañares, MD637 Highway 141White Salmon, WA 98672509 / 493-1600 voice347 / 412-0087 faxtina.castanares@...