Blaming immigrants for almost everything has become a strategy for both Republicans and Democrats. While Democrats tend to be more tolerant, it’s becoming apparent that some are shifting blame to immigrants for specific issues.
The New York Times recently reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom (and possibly a 2028 presidential candidate) “will call Wednesday for California to scale back health care for undocumented immigrants to help balance the state budget, retrenching on his desire to deliver ‘universal health care for all.’”
Newsom defended his decision by pointing to the Trump Administration’s economic policies hurting states like California. Newsom has been on record calling for universal healthcare, but it seems the governor’s position is changing as new fiscal realities emerge.
I have questions. It seems a little too easy for politicians to blame immigrants for anything these days. From crime to a slumping job market to healthcare, it has become a bipartisan strategy.
Why don’t politicians (besides Sen. Bernie Sanders) ever blame the systems responsible for the increases in crime, costs and a slumping job market? Why do politicians always point their fingers at the least of these, instead of asking questions of the wealthiest of these?
Maybe I misread the words of Jesus in the Gospels.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor wealthy. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners politicians and recovery of sight for the blind investors, to set the oppressed oligarchs free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor to increase the wealth gap between the haves and have nots.” (Luke 4:18-19)
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your acquire more possessions and give to take from the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me to accumulate even more wealth and privilege.” (Matthew 19:21).
“Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich an immigrant and poor to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich an immigrant and poor to enter the kingdom of God because they have no economic value.” (Matthew 19:23-24).
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty unable to DoorDash or drink box wine or a stranger an executive or needing clothes Armani or sick insured or in prison made uncomfortable because of your privilege, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least most wealthy and privileged of these, you did not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:45-46).
Yeah, I got it wrong. God most certainly sent Jesus to earth for the wealthy and privileged. I should have known the humble carpenter from rural Palestine whose father was a day laborer and who was born from an unmarried mother would side with the wealthy and privileged of his day. It’s a story as old as time.
Seriously, though, as soon as it means less wealth and privilege for the powerful, then Republican and Democratic compassion fades away.
Why all the finger-pointing towards immigrants?
How about hospital executives?
According to Nurses Helping Nurses, “HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) Healthcare CEO Sam Hazen’s compensation continues to outpace that of the company’s median employee, underscoring the persistent and growing pay gap in hospital leadership. In 2024, Hazen’s total compensation reached $23,799,137, while the median HCA employee earned $60,820, resulting in a CEO-to-worker pay ratio of 391 to 1—up from 356 to 1 in 2023.”
How about insurance companies?
Fierce Healthcare reported: “UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty tops the list, even as the healthcare behemoth he leads faced a difficult year in 2024. His $26.3 million compensation includes a $1.5 million base salary and $17.25 million in stock options. He also earned $5.75 million in option awards, according to UnitedHealth’s annual proxy filing.”
How about pharmaceutical companies?
BioSpace revealed, “Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks has overtaken Johnson & Johnson’s Joaquin Duato as the highest paid chief executive in pharma, taking home $29.2 million in 2024.”
The American Medical Association reported: “Health spending in the U.S. increased by 7.5% in 2023 to $4.9 trillion or $14,570 per capita. This growth rate is significantly higher than the 4.6% rise in 2022, and apart from the 10.4% rise in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the highest growth rate observed since 2003 (8.5%).” In other words, Americans overall are spending more on healthcare.
So, is it really the immigrants’ fault?
CBS News reported last year: “Americans spend an average of $12,555 per person annually on health care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health Care Tracker. By comparison, typical health care spending across other developed nations is about $6,651, their analysis found.”
I am not naive enough to believe that supporting immigrants with healthcare does not contribute to the rise in healthcare costs. But let’s not forget that it’s a fraction compared to the compensation of the healthcare oligarchs across the country.
In 2023, “the biggest names in health care made $3.5 billion combined, compared with $4 billion in 2022. The average chief executive brought home $11 million, while the median was $4.1 million.”
Maybe it’s time to stop blaming immigrants and the poor for our healthcare woes (and other issues) and start looking at the wealthy oligarchs who continue to tell the public it’s not their fault prices and crime rates are so high.
Maybe—just maybe—it’s time to start listening to Jesus again, and reread the Gospels through the lenses of the immigrant and poor instead of through Armani frames.
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