Focusing the Debate

In the context of immigration reform be sure to note that little public money is actually spent on health care to undocumented immigrants.

"'Our findings show a relatively small amount of tax money is spent on health services provided to undocumented immigrants,' said James P. Smith, the RAND chair in Labor Market and Demographic Studies and an author of the report. 'Costs will be much higher for educating the children of undocumented immigrants, so that's where debate should center, not on these relatively small health care costs.'"