On the campaign trail, former Vice President Joe Biden said the United States has an “obligation” to provide health care for illegal immigrants.
In Los Angeles, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination was confronted with the issue Wednesday by reporters, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
A reporter asked: “Do you think that undocumented immigrants who are in this country and are law-abiding should be entitled to federal benefits like Medicare, Medicaid for example?”
“Look, I think that anyone who is in a situation where they are in need of health care, regardless of whether they’re documented or undocumented, we have an obligation to see that they are cared for,” Biden said. “That’s why I think we need more clinics around the country.”
Biden added that “a significant portion of undocumented folks in this country are there because they overstayed their visas.”
“It’s not people breaking down gates coming across the border,” he said. “So the biggest thing we got to do on this thing is tone down the rhetoric. We know why it’s happening. It’s to create fear and concern.”
Without naming Trump, it was clear that Biden was referring to the president’s “rhetoric,” effectively accusing him of exploiting workers’ fears that illegal immigrants might take their jobs.
The Free Beacon noted that California’s new Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has proposed expanding “eligibility to unauthorized young adult immigrants from age 19 through 25,” according to the Sacramento Bee.
Two new polls show Biden has increased his lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., since formally announcing his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.
A poll by The Hill one month ago, the Washington Examiner reported, showed Biden with 36 percent of Democratic support and Sanders with 19. The latest poll, published this week, shows Biden with a 46-14 lead.
Morning Consult, three weeks ago, found 30 percent of Democrats polled supported Biden and 24 percent Sanders. Now, the poll shows Biden ahead 40-19.
