Wilson Wins: Obama Beefs Up Illegal Immigrant Ban

President will exclude illegals from new health-care purchasing exchanges
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 12, 2009 7:38 AM CDT
Wilson Wins: Obama Beefs Up Illegal Immigrant Ban
President Barack Obama shakes hands with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after speaking to a joint session of Congress on healthcare at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009.    (Jason Reed)

Looks like Joe "You Lie!" Wilson scored a direct hit: The White House denied the charge, saying illegal immigrants wouldn't be covered under his health plan, but moved yesterday to beef up measures to exclude them. The Senate Finance Committee looked ready to follow its lead. Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs sketched a new position that goes even further than conservative critics had demanded: Obama will oppose letting illegal immigrants buy insurance through new purchasing exchanges the government will set up.

"Illegal immigrants would not be allowed to access the exchange that is set up," Gibbs said. Verification requirements are "something we'd work out with Congress," he said.
Democratic bills had already prohibited illegal immigrants from getting federal subsidies to help them buy insurance, but Wilson and other Republicans noted the absence of any enforcement mechanism or requirement for verification of legal status. (More Joe Wilson stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X