Media Framing of Undocumented Immigrants in the U.S: Reinventing Compassion by Underplaying the Human Right to Health Care

• In Event: Representaciones discursivas de migrantes

Abstract

Much of the U.S. media debate on health care reform in 2010 revolved around the exclusion of unauthorized immigrants from public and federally subsidized health and social programs. However, little is known about the media framing instruments utilized to foster their entitlement to medical services. This latter issue is the focus of this paper that underscores media representations of unauthorized immigrants following passage of the 2010 in the United States (U.S).

Contrary to human rights perspectives that sustain the universal right to health—regardless of legal status—this presentation highlights an all-inclusive frame named here “selective deservingness,” which is mostly deployed by mainstream newspapers that argue in favor of undocumented immigrants’ entitlement to health care. Even so-called “progressive” outlets such as the New York Times, contribute to create and disseminate hierarchical (and discriminatory) categories among immigrants: between those who should (and should not) be entitled to government-sponsored health care. In this vein, this presentation will particularly highlight a compassionate frame that prevails on media stories that commiserate with undocumented immigrants facing serious health issues and critical living circumstances. This approach is supported by “cost-effective” and “cost-saving” viewpoints that underscore the advantages of providing health care to the uninsured immigrant population, while overcoming the U.S. health care system’s bureaucratic and financial ineffectiveness. Together, these frames make a compelling case for the inclusion of special groups among the deserving immigrant population on the basis of both humane and market-based approaches.

Author

• Anahí Viladrich, City University of New York/Queens College / The Graduate Center