L.A. County hospitals have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy applied only to patients profiled as undocumented. When a patient (illegal alien) does not have a social security number, the line below is simply filled with zeros. Patients profiled as Americans, are not offered the "don't ask, don't tell" privilege and are asked to provide their social security numbers.
Araceli's daughter has a birth certificate to prove she is an American Citizen. Moreover, although Mexico did not offer dual citizenship at the time, Araceli had a Mexican doctor friend "fix" it so that her daughter was also a Mexican Citizen.
Araceli lives in Tijuana, so controlling the border is not an issue in cases such as this one because the INS issues border crossing permits to Tijuana residents who can show "proof" that they will return to Tijuana, such as a pay check stub (easily forged) as evidence they must return to work. The permits do not allow the bearer to go more than 25 miles north of the border and must return within 24 hours. But this does not stop these crossers from going to L.A. and staying as long as they like since the INS does not track the permits. In fact, there are many people who use the permits in a reverse manner -- that is, they live most of the time in L.A. and go home for visits whenever they want.
Araceli was not the only person to whom I was introduced who took advantage of L.A. County's generosity. I met two other women in Tijuana who also had their children at L.A. County Hospital. In total, the three women have seven American citizen children, compliments of American tax payers.
This says: "Valid for emergency or pregnancy related services only."
This wording was chosen so that the services include prenatal care.
