Woman Arrested at OB-GYN’s Office for Being Undocumented

[kawaiikitsune]

This is beyond abhorrent.

[Andrea]

I just can't. No freaking words. This is pretty much 99.9% of my clients.

[penguin129]

It sounds like entrapment. So very wrong.

[Deleted]

How disgusting.

[achromia]

That is atrocious behavior on the part of the medical staff. The last thing we need is an already vulnerable and under-served population being afraid to go to the doctor.

[butlerfan]

@pineappleoranges, you are certainly finding shit stirring items today. This is another I can't even moment with this.

[rablissful]

This makes me so sad and angry.

[housecarder]

It's very ethically wrong and makes me so angry. But legally wasn't she technically committing a crime on the premises by using fake documents? I'm just wondering how they are going to say this is legal

[pismoduo]

This is absolutely wrong. What did they call the police for? Did they suspect she had a fake SS card, or what?

And yes, this is absolutely a HIPAA violation. HIPAA covers anyone in the US, regardless of immigration/citizenship status. If you're here, and the doctor you're seeing is here, it's fucking covered.

What is wrong with people?

[pismoduo]

Sept 14, 2015 14:59:36 GMT -5 housecarder said:

It's very ethically wrong and makes me so angry. But legally wasn't she technically committing a crime on the premises by using fake documents? I'm just wondering how they are going to say this is legal

That's the only reason I can see them calling the police - if they had reason to believe she was using a fake SSN. But even then, most healthcare organizations encourage you to contact OIG's fraud reporting mechanisms FIRST, rather than the police.

And the fact that they led her back to an exam room under false pretenses? No. NO.

[pismoduo]

Sept 14, 2015 15:07:01 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 14, 2015 15:03:32 GMT -5 pismoduo said:

That's the only reason I can see them calling the police - if they had reason to believe she was using a fake SSN. But even then, most healthcare organizations encourage you to contact OIG's fraud reporting mechanisms FIRST, rather than the police.

And the fact that they led her back to an exam room under false pretenses? No. NO.

Additionally, no one knows why they suspected her of using fradulent documents. Was it her appearance? Was it the documents looked shoddy? 

And the  way the article is presents leads me to believe that they charge came after the fact.  "the charge stems from the fake Social Security card deputies found in Borrego's purse after she was arrested at her gynecologist's office"


So, I believe that she was arrested on suspicion of using fake documents and then, they founf the social security card after she was arrested. 

Yea, these kinds of questions are exactly why healthcare workers are encouraged to report fraud through non-law enforcement channels first. No one wants to be the doctor's office that got someone improperly arrested just because their SS card was all beat up and shitty.

[pismoduo]

Sept 14, 2015 15:11:45 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 14, 2015 15:09:37 GMT -5 pismoduo said:

Yea, these kinds of questions are exactly why healthcare workers are encouraged to report fraud through non-law enforcement channels first. No one wants to be the doctor's office that got someone improperly arrested just because their SS card was all beat up and shitty.

"When Borrego arrived at the clinic last Thursday for her routine annual exam, staff told her they needed to update her file and, after she filled out some paperwork, they asked for an ID. Borrego, an undocumented immigrant who overstayed her visa some 12 years ago, handed staff a fake driver's license. Then she waited. Borrego's eldest daughter, who asked that her name not be published, says her mother was about to give up and leave when staff finally called her back into an examination room"

What file were they updating when she had never been to that clinic before?
I think this was done with the purpose of rooting out those who are undocumented who visit the clinic.

I think the article said she was following her old doctor from a different clinic? Entirely possible that she had her records from that clinic transferred, in which case it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for the new clinic to verify her information via insurance card or ID.

But yea, I wouldn't be surprised if this is really an attempt to identify undocumented individuals.

I mean, I get that we don't want people using fake SSNs and committing fraud. But come on - there's a right way and a wrong way to go about this. This is the wrong way.

[bunnyfungo]

Oh, good. Let's discourage illegal immigrants from getting proper medical care. That's a great idea.

/sarcasm

[ghostmonkey]

I hope her family sues and wins. Fucking assholes.

[setsuna17]

This makes me so upset I want to cry. What a nightmare for this woman.

[spunkybrewster]

None of this makes sense. Deputies have no authority to arrest anyone on federal immigration laws, which means this headline is misleading at the very least. There is no way local law enforcement can show up to arrest anyone just for being undocumented. I feel like this particular article is missing some facts.

[spunkybrewster]

Sept 15, 2015 8:29:10 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 14, 2015 22:46:41 GMT -5 spunkybrewster said:

None of this makes sense. Deputies have no authority to arrest anyone on federal immigration laws, which means this headline is misleading at the very least. There is no way local law enforcement can show up to arrest anyone just for being undocumented. I feel like this particular article is missing some facts.

She wasn't arrested on federal immigration laws. She was arrested for fraudulent documents. The immigration charges came after the arrest. Which, is in fact a valid chain of events.


There is a second article from another newspaper with more facts but both agree that she wasn't arrested on Federal immigration charges.

I understand. However, the headline and the title of this thread clearly state that the woman was arrested for being undocumented. It's misleading, and that is something that irks me. The chain of events is disturbing enough on its own, and there is no need to manipulate the reader in this way. It's a pet peeve of mine!

[spunkybrewster]

Sept 15, 2015 13:13:31 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 15, 2015 13:08:58 GMT -5 spunkybrewster said:

I understand. However, the headline and the title of this thread clearly state that the woman was arrested for being undocumented. It's misleading, and that is something that irks me. The chain of events is disturbing enough on its own, and there is no need to manipulate the reader in this way. It's a pet peeve of mine!

"Woman arrested for fake drivers license" is not going to get the traffic "woman arrested for being undocumented" will get. Especially as election season approaches and immigration is on everyone's radar.

Sensationalism in headlines doesn't bother me.

Eh, I find it annoying, and the publication loses credibility with me when I see it. Will McAvoy would not approve!

[ghostmonkey]

Sept 15, 2015 13:13:31 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 15, 2015 13:08:58 GMT -5 spunkybrewster said:

I understand. However, the headline and the title of this thread clearly state that the woman was arrested for being undocumented. It's misleading, and that is something that irks me. The chain of events is disturbing enough on its own, and there is no need to manipulate the reader in this way. It's a pet peeve of mine!

"Woman arrested for fake drivers license" is not going to get the traffic "woman arrested for being undocumented" will get. Especially as election season approaches and immigration is on everyone's radar.

Sensationalism in headlines doesn't bother me.

It should. It is part of what is destroying journalism and the majority of people just read the headlines and make assumptions.

It's a very Fox News way to handle things. Grabbing buzzwords to get clicks makes you a shitty journalist with no integrity.

[hydrangea1019]

Sept 15, 2015 16:03:33 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 15, 2015 15:49:36 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

It should. It is part of what is destroying journalism and the majority of people just read the headlines and make assumptions.

It's a very Fox News way to handle things. Grabbing buzzwords to get clicks makes you a shitty journalist with no integrity.

Sensationalism in media is nothing new. For our era it can be dated back to the feud between Pulitzer and Hearst.  It doesn't bother me because sensationalism isn't always bad. Therefore, the burden rest on the majority to read an article before making assumptions. Will everyone do that? no. However, the flaws of the media is not my hill to die on. So I guess we can agree to disagree. 

Of course it's nothing new, but that doesn't make it any better. It just causes stuff to get stirred up when it shouldn't be. She was arrested for fraudulent documents, not because she was undocumented as your post insinuates.

[spunkybrewster]

I saw another article on this incident where the headline says, "Latina Woman Arrested Trying to Access Reproductive Health Care." This headline is also an example of sensationalism, but at least it's not inaccurate. The headline in the original post here was just plain not true. I see a pretty big distinction there, and I think it's worth noting.

Also, rereading my own words here, it's sad that "not inaccurate" is what we as readers are settling for. It doesn't have to be the hill we die on, but I think it's okay to say we deserve better.

[mosdub]

This is devastating. It makes my heart ache for their family. I feel like places of medicine should be a kind of sanctuary - obviously violent or immediate/harmful crimes need addressing but otherwise...come on. What a breach of privacy and basic human decency.

[joy]

Sept 15, 2015 15:49:36 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

It should. It is part of what is destroying journalism and the majority of people just read the headlines and make assumptions.

It's a very Fox News way to handle things. Grabbing buzzwords to get clicks makes you a shitty journalist with no integrity.

preach.

[spunkybrewster]

Sept 15, 2015 20:18:06 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 15, 2015 17:12:28 GMT -5 spunkybrewster said:

I saw another article on this incident where the headline says, "Latina Woman Arrested Trying to Access Reproductive Health Care." This headline is also an example of sensationalism, but at least it's not inaccurate. The headline in the original post here was just plain not true. I see a pretty big distinction there, and I think it's worth noting.

Also, rereading my own words here, it's sad that "not inaccurate" is what we as readers are settling for. It doesn't have to be the hill we die on, but I think it's okay to say we deserve better.

Oh ok. I'm sorry that I'm more focused on the issue . I guess I look at things differently. Me being an immigrant with immigrant parents and a immigrant husband really don't give a shit about the sensationalism headline used in the article. I read an article. I make my own opinion. It helped to draw awareness to an issue.

I choose to focus on what I think is important here. So no, I don't have to care about the quality of the headline. If anything I am thankful for it because I wouldn't have heard about this story otherwise. I wouldn't then make sure I signed up for more events to help undocumented people know their rights.

So sure, let's focus on the headlines. And the quality of journalism today. Put the onus on the media and let's forget we should never research anything for ourselves.

RME

Frankly, it's my opinion that anyone who feels so strongly about immigration very well should be concerned about the journalistic integrity of stories like this, especially when sharing with others. The headline was false, outright false, which leads the reader to question what else is false about the article. Immigration is an issue that is near and dear to my own heart as well, and instances of irresponsible journalism like this do a great disservice to the cause. As I said before, what happened to this woman was reprehensible. There was no need to lie in the headline. What happened was shocking enough on its own.

I'm sorry you don't feel this aspect is important enough to take note of and discuss. I disagree.

[hydrangea1019]

Sept 15, 2015 20:21:32 GMT -5 @pineappleoranges said:

Sept 15, 2015 16:39:58 GMT -5 hydrangea1019 said:

Of course it's nothing new, but that doesn't make it any better. It just causes stuff to get stirred up when it shouldn't be. She was arrested for fraudulent documents, not because she was undocumented as your post insinuates.

In case you didn't click the link; I copied the exact title of the article. One she presented a fake drivers license. She was later charged for the social security card that was in her possession. One is a federal crime the other is not. The fact that she is being charged based solely on the federal charge that carries the possible deportation shows the inequality of the application of the law. A fake drivers license would not have seen her deported.

Great, you copied the exact title of an article that uses sensationalism to pull in traffic and it got passed along here.

Again, the cops were called due to fraudulent documentation, NOT because she was undocumented.