Should Undocumented Aliens Be On Organ Transplant Lists?

[snoopy369]

Can they donate organs? If yes, they should be eligible to receive them too.

Edit: Apparently NRAs (Non Resident Aliens) can indeed donate organs, even though blood donations are more complex (presumably because much more care is done to ensure the safety of the organ directly by the surgeon). http://organdonor.gov/faqs.html

NRAs, including illegal aliens, also may receive organ transplants, although they do have to be able to afford them (which is usually not the case).

[MRT144]

I guess the thing that I just disagree with is the sentiment that an arbitrary distinction of citizenship should be the limiting factor in whether people have the chance to live or die. Its not like citizenship is a limited resource. And adding more people to a que doesnt take much additional resources.

I mean the real concern exhibited is limited resources for individual americans scurred they and theirs wont get organs, not for the country as a whole somehow missing out on organs because them dern mexicans.

[snoopy369]

There is no arbitrary distinction of citizenship. The arbitrary distinction is that people have to _pay_ for their transplants.

However, were there to be an arbitrary distinction, I think I'd be okay with that. Donors are coming from people who live here, they should go to people who live here. The illegal alien problem is a problem with our visa and citizenship process, not related to this issue. If they're here illegally, I think I'm okay with giving them a lower priority than people who live here legally. I don't think it should be not allowed at all, but if it's a choice, one American versus one Frenchman, with no other reason to choose? I'll give that to the American, thanks.

[MRT144]

Citizenship is literally the only thing keeping them off the recipient list at this point and is the only distinction between them and other poor people. That they werent lucky enough to be an anchor baby or scam their way into a sham marriage seems irrelevant to whether they are a good candidate for transplant or not. They live here, they presumably pay taxes at the state level at least (you have a sales tax right?). Worst case scenario is they move back to mexico and become drug lords.

I know this is mostly in jest but...

Treat citizenship like the mormons treat post mortem baptism. Just make everyone a citizen, collect taxes based on GDP per capita of country of origin, and make voting in person a requirement for the first time someone votes. If they owe taxes then they don't receive care. No special effort is made to transport citizens from abroad. I mean honestly, if we make it such a pain in the ass to revoke your own citizenship, why make it equally hard to get it for those that dont already have it.

[Wezil]

Can they donate organs? If yes, they should be eligible to receive them too.

This should be the litmus test for any organ recipient.

"Did you sign your organ donor card?"

With obvious exceptions for minors...

[MRT144]

I have no problem with give an organ, get an organ program. We only need 1 kidney! also this ignores citizenship completely as well as outcomes. If an old fart wants to give a heart, why should I keep them and the recipient apart?

[PLATO]

This should be the litmus test for any organ recipient.

"Did you sign your organ donor card?"

With obvious exceptions for minors...

I actually like this idea very much.