I’m half-Hispanic and half-white. I’m really opposed to illegal immigration and any type of free health care to illegals because, as a health care worker, I see too many Americans who can’t afford it. I’ve noticed that people like Texas Governor Rick Perry appear tough on illegal immigration by showing a photo of him standing next to border agents with a serious look on his face. I’ve seen Perry sit on both sides of the fence by adding more agents to sit on their butts on the border, and pass legislation to allow in-state tuition for illegals.

My question: would a Mexican support a bill that would tax only illegals who transfer money to Mexico? You and me both know that the illegal has a cousin who is an American who will do the transfer for him. Anyways, if I was a Mexican who joined LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) I would kinda like it – the reason is 100 percent of the tax goes to illegal immigrant health care and not a dime to a homeless American. This is the only tax I know whose benefactor does not include green card holders and American citizens. If this bill is passed, illegals can now claim they pay taxes! Wow, and since the majority are living in poverty, the majority would get the benefit from this tax. How would a Mexican vote? --Dr. Chichis, M.D.

Dear Wab: Before we begin, déjame deal with your health-care assertions. The Pew Hispanic Center found this year that illegals and their kids comprised solamente 17 percent of the nation’s total uninsured, and a 2006 RAND report estimated that the undocumented make up only “1.5 percent of the country’s total national medical costs, half as large as their 3.2 percent population share” – and even they think that number might be overblown, since the survey focused solely on the Los Angeles area, and they noted the city “has the reputation of being an immigrant-friendly location for these services.” So, for you and others to portray Mexicans as health-care leeches is false, not to mention immoral. The answer to your actual question: A Mexican wouldn’t care about your Mickey Mouse bill. Even if it was enacted, Mexicans would circumvent electronic transfers by using courier services or smuggling cash in tires on trips back home. We already know how to come into this country illegally – you think bad legislation can stop us?