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Calif. budget cuts seen as 'devastating' for needy immigrants
Submitted by SHNS on Thu, 06/05/2008 - 14:32.
SAN FRANCISCO -- After working for years as a housekeeper, dishwasher and babysitter, Maria Carrillo developed excruciating pain in her legs and arms and could hardly move.
"I was always very hard-working before I got sick," said Carrillo, 67, who came to the United States from Tijuana 20 years ago. "But then I had no food, could not pay the rent and had to rely on the generosity of my friends who would give me something to eat."
Carrillo survived thanks to the state's program to give elderly, blind or disabled immigrants a few hundred dollars in monthly cash payments if they have no other income.
But this year, she and about 10,000 other legal residents in California may see their monthly checks disappear under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to cut social service programs deeply to help deal with the state's $17.2 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
"If this benefit goes away, these people's lives are going to be devastated," said Jane Gelfand, managing legal director at the Positive Resource Center, a San Francisco legal services nonprofit.
Social workers and public policy analysts say the proposed budget cuts would affect California's most vulnerable residents.
"It's horrible," said Don Climent, the regional director of the International Rescue Committee in San Francisco, a group that supports refugees. "It's going to impact a lot of people who can least stand an impact."
The state's assistance program, established in 1998 to assist immigrants who don't qualify for federal grants because they are not citizens, provides about $860 a month for individuals and $1,504 for couples.
"It's just an absolute life-saving benefit for the few people we can get on it," Gelfand said. "Without it, there is no income, no health insurance, no housing, no food, and no other basic necessities."
Carrillo, who was diagnosed with debilitating osteoporosis and arthritis, said she relies heavily on her check, which is just enough to rent a small room in Oakland, buy pain medication for her swollen legs and occasionally splurge on a piece of chicken from a local Chinese restaurant.
For Josefina Martinez, 70, the program also means independence. After her husband died last year, Martinez has been living in Oakland with her son, who makes minimum wage and supports his wife and children. Fearing to become a burden, Martinez applied for the cash assistance.
"It is just awful not to have any money of my own," Martinez said, with tears in her eyes. "I wish I could help out."
Leticia Escalera, an independent-living specialist at the Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation in Oakland, said each month dozens of clients like Martinez knock on her door.
The goal of the cash program is "to integrate people with disabilities and who are elderly so they have an opportunity to live with dignity by making their own choices," Escalera said.
A decade ago, Escalera took care of her blind mother, who didn't qualify for state benefits because she did not have a green card.
"We had to make choices between getting medicine and food, and I know that being in that situation is not a dignifying experience," said Escalera, who has been collecting signatures to urge the state Legislature not to terminate the program. "We are talking about providing the basics for people so they don't have to go out and beg for things."
Tanya Broder, public benefits director at the National Immigration Law Center, said immigrants who receive the state benefit usually are disabled and live alone. Some of them have taken their lives after learning that their benefits would be terminated, she said.
"It can make people feel suicidal, and we are really worried about their mental health," Broder said. "The Legislature understands how critical the program is, and I certainly hope they reject the proposed budget cuts."
E-mail Anastasia Ustinova at austinova(at)sfchronicle.com.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
illegal immigrants
Tell them to go back to wherever they came from.
Mexico do not even give anything to their legal immigrants.
They should return to their
They should return to their home countries. It is not the responsibility of US taxpayer to provide care for indigent immigrants who are not citizens. US citizens have to make do with less, and perhaps not be able to afford their medicine etc. So why should money be spent on immigrants - it should go to US citizens first. Better yet -- return to your home country and let them take care of you.
wtf
Our tax dollars going to non citizens.. Our government is really messed up. No wonder your State is going broke lol I am glad I am in Louisianna. But we have our share of free loaders here too. But atleast they are legal citizens..
Why don't bleeding heart
Why don't bleeding heart liberals offer to share their homes with these people?
Why don't bleeding heart
Why don't bleeding heart liberals offer to share their homes with these people?
Immigrants/illegal
LOL
immigrant money
It is estimated that California spends 10 billion dollars a year on illegal immigrants. This either by health care, prisons, goods and services. It is about time some of this is getting cut back. Just think: If we could some how remove??? them from our country we could start spending that money on the legal poor, the child that needs tutoring to stay in school, the single mother that needs job training, the student that needs grants to go college. This could be a great country once again.
Illegals
I remember 10 t0 15 years ago before the illegals invaded the U.S.A we could walk around In my town with no worrie's.. Now you have to be armed and ready. And watch out for your kids they will rape a 3 year old or a dog. Illegals are vermon.We have got to seal our borders and deport these animal's..
Who pays the doctor bills?
Who pays the doctor bills?
We are being deceived!
If these people contribute more than they take out, how come California (that has the highest number of immigrants (both legal and illegal) continually struggle to keep meet it's budget. Why I ask you is their budget "always" in the red lately? Oh it couldn't possibly be because they have an arms "wide open" policy in regard to illegal immigrants and allowing these low wage exploitable workers to get every possible financial help that they can give them. Especially medical and educational.
Cutting payments to needy immigrants
Because newspapers no longer identify the folks of a community by their real status, we see 'needy immigrants' rather than illegal aliens. All over this country, the correct term is illegal alien, and all over this country, the newspapers call them immigrants. We no longer have any idea at all what is going on with the illegal aliens, but I would bet that if the newspapers honestly reported the news, we would discover the illegal aliens are taking a horrendous toll on our lives.
The Governor of California said the illegal aliens were not the problem in California. The Governor of California lied, and the newspapers helped him do that.
Oh well
Times are tough for illegals, arent they.
Now, maybe, California will focus on its legal citizens more.
Subsidizing illegal aliens from Mexico
History will show that California was the first state to fall in the "Reconquista" of the U.S.
The next logical step is for the governor to secede from the Union and officially declare Mexico the winner in this war.
California's left wing public policy of illegal aliens before citizens and Hispanic interests before American interests has finally destroyed the once great state.
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas will be next, if Americans do not fight back, NOW!
CONTACT YOU REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON AND DEMAND ACTION BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
Subsidizing the Illegal Population
I live on $454 a month after they take $96.50 out for my medicare. I don't get welfare or food stamps, I don't qualify for any of this. Yet you want me to feel sorry for a bunch of illegal alien criminals? I don't think so. Start helping the people of this country who are her citizens then we can talk!
illegals
that is total BS!!!!!!
Our own federal and state governments deny OUR kids and the elderly the services that WE, The People pay for...so these scumbags can get an easier ride???...OH NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Send'em ALL packing....because I WILL be packing....be aware, fellow Americans....when your gov values illegal immigrants rights over yours....they are deemed to be treasonous traitors....
Illegal aliens
Well said! I agree with you completely!
It's time for another American Revolution!
Subsidizing illegal aliens.
California should go bankrupt-completely. I am tired of my taxes going out to California because they can't pay their bills, and won't cut services to illegals. Schools in Los Angeles are worse than 3rd World Countries. Cities and countes bankrupt. A lady at Chase told me hundreds and hundreds of homes have been bought by illegals using false SS numbers and they have walked away from them....more mess from the illegals.
Get them out of this country. Send em back. I am sick of their whining for "equal rights" when they have lied cheated, stolen, kill at least 15 of us a day, and rape our children.
The Gov. won't do anything. The people must rise.
Illegal alien criminals
American citizens never qualify for help from their own government!
The federal government should be helping you instead of these illegal alien criminals!!!
Maybe if you say you do not have a SS#, have never paid any kind of taxes, and you just crossed the southern border with Mexico illegally, you would qualify! That's the way our current system works. The taxes you and I have paid to our government are not for us and our children.
THEY ARE ONLY FOR ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS!
Our government is subsidizing our enemies who are taking over America and forcing their Hispanic culture down our throats!
Our government has under-estimated the American people...
Please join numbersUSA and fight for your country! We stopped amnesty twice, but they never give up. It is an ongoing battle that can only be won if every American citizen joins the fight!
Good Luck!
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