About 40 Illegal Cubans with Tuberculosis

(Brownsville, Texas) About 40 illegal aliens from Cuba showed up at the Gateway International Bridge and told U.S. Customs agents that they had tuberculosis, but changed their story several times. They were detained and are being tested at two different hospitals in Brownsville.

As an afterthought, it really seems imprudent to automatically provide medical treatment to citizens of foreign countries just because they show up at the U.S. border with a deadly disease. Holy moly! What prevents the entire world from marching up to a border crossing and saying, "Here, take these people. They're all sick."

Maybe I'm missing something because it doesn't seem to make much sense. The United States shouldn't be responsible for the health of citizens of foreign countries.

[Update 6/19/05] According to this report, none of the Cubans tested positive for tuberculosis. It's not clear what happens to them next.

Companion post at Diggers Realm.