Mr. President. yesterday. the U.S. district court for the eastern district of New York. in a ruling by Judge Charles Sifton. a distinguished member of the bench. held that illegal aliens are eligible for Medicaid payments and Medicaid care in the hospitals of that district and. by extension. the Nation. Judge Sifton. who is a distinguished jurist. made a very simple point that there is nothing in the 1965 statute that says otherwise. In a class action suit. brought by seven illegal aliens saying they needed medical care. he held that they were entitled to it. Might I say. Mr. President. that in the absence of Medicaid payments. we should not assume the absence of medical care. It is the tradition of New York City and most jurisdictions of our country to provide care to the ill and indigent regardless of their legal status as citizens. It goes back a long time in the history of New York City. long before we had immigration lawsa time when as many as half of the population of the city were technically aliens although not illegal. However. Mr.
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immigration illegal aliens