When illegal immigrants crash, taxpayers usually foot the bill

Lorraine Rivera Reports
May 7, 2006, 06:11 AM

Within the last month, close to three dozen illegal immigrants have been injured or killed in three Southern Arizona accidents.

Often, hospitals foot the bill to care for illegal immigrants injured here in the U.S.

Those costs are then passed on to the taxpayers.

Smugglers use older vehicles, cramming as many people as possible inside and taking extreme measures to get their cargo across the border.

In the last month, three separate accidents have occurred, one of them killing four illegal immigrants.

Agent Sean King of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol says, “Smugglers [are] taking action that they shouldn't be taking because they want to earn as much money possible and they earn their money by getting their illegal cargo to Phoenix or Tucson so that they can get paid.”

According to the Border Patrol, vehicle wrecks are frequent with the victims needing medical attention.