Introduction
Immigration in the US has increased over the decades causing the population in the continent to swell with each passing year. The number of illegal immigrants continues to rise with each passing day. Because of this, the American society has deemed it fit to retaliate. The genesis of this debate itself, whether illegal immigrants should receive equal social services like Medicare and food stamps. Personally, I believe illegal immigrants are human too, and therefore, they should receive social services too.
Discussion
First, an ideal society should care for every member regardless of one’s origin, race or gender. The society should be socially responsible to consider the illegal immigrants in the country. It is notable that the most illegal and dangerous jobs are performed by illegal immigrants. In addition, these people live in the most adverse areas of the country (Haugen et al 172). From ancient times, the society has abused the marginalized and minority members of the society for the most undesirable and dangerous jobs. Before modern civilization, slaves were in the same situation as illegal immigrants today. Although the situation is different today, the similarities are visible and striking.
The result of this modern day social cruelty towards illegal immigrants results from the laws, norms, institutions and conditions that the society has set (Garrett 65). One would argue that the immigrants deserve what they get because they consent to it. However, although these people venture into these situations out of free will, they have good reason because it is better than what they have left behind (Miller 49). Illegal immigrants may consider the dangerous jobs their new society offers because they have no choice (Garrett 65).
With this in mind, it is important for the society to consider these newcomers as part of their society. Being part of the society, it is then essential for the government to take social responsibility for these immigrants. However, this draws another argument; why would a society be responsible to illegal members of the society? To answer, thus, one should first know when this line is drawn. Illegal immigrants are also parents, some are diligent workers, good neighbours and active community members (Haugen et al 172). Why then, should the society feel pitched when sharing social welfare with them?
Illegal immigrants constitute the most vulnerable and exploited members of any society. Illegal immigrants often work at the most undesirable places. Over the centuries, these people have been exploited undesirably. Therefore, I believe that they deserve social services such as Medicare, so as to reduce the present health inequalities in the society (Garrett 65). Besides, one of the most important goals of Medicare is to assist and serve individuals in need of all ages with physical, mental, chronic or onset health issues who cannot afford private health insurance.
Conclusion
This concerned many uninsured low-income individuals; after all, their financial hardship did not include covering unfortunate and unplanned health elements (Haugen et al 172). For this reason, President Johnson signed the low-cost Medicare program for the needy in 1965 and was said to be the foundation for healing and restoring of health for the uninsured (Blumenthal & Morone 2385). Therefore without some of the benefits the Medicare Program offers, the disadvantaged, such as the illegal immigrants, would not have recommendation drugs, home health care and hospital care (Haugen et al 177).
Works Cited
Blumenthal, David, and James Morone. “The lessons of success — revisiting the Medicare story.” The New England Journal of Medicine 359.22 (2008): 2384-9. Print.
Garrett, Paul Michael. ‘Transforming’ children’s services? social work, neoliberalism and the ‘modern’ world. Maidenhead, England: Open University Press, 2009. Print.
Haugen, David M., Susan Musser, and Kacy Lovelace. Immigration. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print.
Debra A. Immigration. Detroit: Greenhaven Press/Gale Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.