Polis: Immigration Reform Is Critical To Saving Money In Healthcare

Statement

On the eve of the historic healthcare reform vote, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) issued the following statement after attending a rally with tens of thousands of supporters of comprehensive immigration reform in Washington, DC.

"The passage of healthcare reform today only highlights the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Undocumented Americans will not be allowed to buy insurance through the health insurance marketplace, making it more critical than ever before for the U.S. to normalize immigrants' status, so that they pay their fair share and buy insurance like everyone else.

I hear from concerned cities and counties across Colorado about the costs of providing healthcare to a large undocumented population, but only the federal government can fix our broken immigration system. That's why both opponents and supporters of healthcare reform agree that comprehensive immigration reform is critical to saving money in healthcare. I am encouraged by the bi-partisan efforts of Senator Lindsay Graham and Senator Charles Schumer as well as President Obama's recent remarks about the importance of comprehensive immigration reform. For the health of our people and our budget, we must reform our broken immigration system now."

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