An E.R. Doctor turns that slimy, creepy, weasel-y, skeevy little tw*t JD Vance into mincemeat.

[Miles Archer]

I'm an ER doctor. JD Vance's claims about immigrants and wait times are just wrong.
Emergency medicine has a moral and legal commitment: treat anyone, anywhere, anytime.

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/jd-vance-emergency-room-immigrant-health-care-rcna235946

Oct. 7, 2025, 2:08 PM EDT
By Dr. Owais Durrani, emergency medicine physician in Houston, TX

“If you’re an American citizen and you’ve been to the hospital in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed that wait times are especially large and very often somebody who’s there in the ER is an illegal alien,” Vice President JD Vance said. “Why do those people get health care benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?” When press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether ERs should check immigration status before treatment, she dodged. “That’s probably not a question for me to answer,” she told reporters. That’s a question for health care professionals and legal experts to answer.”

Well, I am a health care professional. My career has been spent in rooms that do not close. Emergency medicine has a standing pledge: treat anyone, anywhere, anytime, 24/7, 365. That is not just a moral commitment. It is the law.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires emergency departments to screen and stabilize every person who arrives, regardless of insurance, income or immigration status. It is one of the quiet triumphs of American health policy because it reflects a simple truth: A decent country does not leave people bleeding on the curb. EMTALA does not permit immigration checks at the threshold. In spirit and in practice, neither should our leaders.

Federal law already excludes undocumented immigrants from Medicaid, Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans and subsidies. EMTALA, on the other hand, is not a benefit. It is a safety standard. Requiring emergency departments to screen and stabilize every patient first — and forbidding any delay in care due to questions about coverage or ability to pay — ensures every human gets the medical treatment they need. The operating principle of emergency medicine is straightforward: Treat first, stabilize now, figure out payment later.

[Skittles]

1. outstanding

it just floors me, how many so-called "pro-life Christians" think certain people don't deserve healthcare

[Scalded Nun]

20. Not just healthcare. Those same 'certain people' deserve nothing but pain and hardship (like Jesus wanted).

[yellow dahlia]

2. Great piece!

Thanks for sharing it.

I'm going to post it over on "social media". Hopefully it will reach some of the misinformed.

[BOSSHOG]

3. The VP

had his question answered here on DU. Imagine. It involved, compassion and medical expertise. Humanity and the need to assist our fellow humans. Kinda simple and beautiful. Something republicans no longer have a care to understand.

[Dr. T]

8. They lost the moral high ground long ago.

Non-religious/atheist liberal Dems are much more Christian than conservative Republican Christians.

Yet they bristle when you say that to them.

[Diamond_Dog]

4. Vance lies about everything. Just like his boss.

[erronis]

5. JD Vance (or whatever his name is now) should only get emergency couch therapy.

Perhaps a few pillow adjustments would make his anti-human instincts go away.

Now, for Stevie Miller, I think a visit to a EOL vet clinic would be a good idea.

[the nelm]

6. Or a slaughterhouse... n/t

[Not Heidi]

15. My sweet wife said

I like the slaughterhouse even better.

[Initech]

27. Not even a 5% discount at Ashley Furniture!

[Joinfortmill]

33. Omg. Lol

[maspaha]

7. Funny sounding name...is he even a real American

Check his papers

[3catwoman3]

9. "Wait times are especially 'large.' "

"Large"?

[John Farmer]

25. Wait times in the ER

are highly dependent on the type/severity of injury/illness and how many cases are waiting.

Some cases benefit from an extended observation period; no matter how irritating that is to the person who is waiting to be seen. Head injuries are just one of these. Some cases get rushed ahead of everyone else depending on on the severity of their circumstances.

If I'm headed to the ER I certainly don't want to wait while the ER staff verifies my (and everyone else's) citizenship status!

[erronis]

29. I believe the comment was on the use of "large" to describe a length of time. Usually "long" is preferred.

[3catwoman3]

35. It was, thanx. I thought it was fairly obvious...

...that I was rolling my eyes about odd language use. I've never heard anyone use "large" when talking about time.

[3catwoman3]

36. I'm a nurse practitioner. I know all about how ER triage and waiting times work.

I thought the use of the word "large" to describe time was really weird. Waiting times may be long, outrageous, ridiculous, frustrating, etc, etc, but large? Nah.

[usaf-vet]

10. Thanks I didn't know that .... former military medic.

[Mustellus]

11. But But But....

.. Jesus never healed anyone but Native Born Murricans!

[FakeNoose]

12. It's funny how they never mention that "Saint" Ronnie Reagan put that law into effect in 1986

Thanks for an excellent post, Miles Archer. Deserves to be shared.

[Nigrum Cattus]

13. The reason for long waits is because of venture capitalists -

they have bought up most ER's. Now they are going
after veterinary practices.

[IbogaProject]

14. I would count his wealthy supporters as the root cause

Last edited Wed Oct 8, 2025, 12:05 AM - Edit history (1)

They didnt want to cover "negros" in the 1940s so we didn't create universal coverage to appease Southern Senators and their racist supporters. And our system has spiraled into a mess, where there is great innovation but immense friction to care. Our poor health outcomes are half that friction along with our less than stellar dietary standards.

The AMA has consistantly kept the amount of seats in medical schools below our needs to create medical scarcity. Single payer would save money even during the initial transition year.

Our overcrowded ERs are a risk to us all wealthy or poor.

[Bev54]

16. How many legal and illegal immigrants are not getting emergency care right now

because of their fear of being deported to another hell hole?

[underpants]

28. Excellent point. I read a story here yesterday about young Hispanics

It was related to Panera bread but it had more to do with restaurants hurting from young Hispanics and Latinas not going out to dinner. This could be meals or it could be the bar they usually go to.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

17. Following Vance's logic there reveals a chilling lack of humanity. His vision of America is one in which...

...there is not a single institution that shows compassion and empathy for every human being--even those experiencing medical trauma. He is asking people with the skills required to save the lives of people to withhold those skills based on societal factors such as the ability to pay or immigration status. This is evil.

Evil is defined as profoundly immoral and wicked. What else would you call this?

In addition, he speculates that we can spot an illegal alien in the ER getting care they don't deserve. Barring racist assumptions about the people in the ER we actually don't--and should not--know if someone is an "illegal." To many American's Vance's own wife presents as potentially "illegal."

My question to Vance would be: when something happens and your wife is in a car accident; unconscious; stripped of all possessions in an attempt to save her life; should the ER wait for her to prove she deserves care before treating her?

And, just like the second amendment thumpers that accept gun deaths as the price you pay for your rights, I expect his answer would be yes--because he truly seems profoundly immoral and wicked.

[patphil]

18. Even if it wasn't established by law, it's the Christian thing to do.

Vance claims to be a Christian, doesn't he? If so, then he should accept the law as being supported by his religion.
Jesus taught it, so JD should do his best to live it.

[Miles Archer]

19. One of the single most overlooked pieces of Scripture when it comes to Vance, Miller, Noem...and Trump

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me

When the people I named in the subject line go off full-bore on their immigrant / refugee hate, it's a solid guarantee that they are using Christianity and the Bible for a prop.

It's also in there as

"if you give a cup of cold water in my name..."

Short version, for anyone who does (or does not) want to identify as "Christian," it's right there between the covers of that book. NO ONE gets to pick and choose who they show kindness to. Or they CAN do that, and forfeit their right to call themselves a "Christian."

[patphil]

21. Exactly. Thank you.

[timms139]

24. A lot of Republicans

thinks politics give them free reins to lie,cheat or anything they want to do and be free of accountability.Pence stated that if he told a lie to protect his business or his employer that it wouldn't be wrong and that coming from a politician who proclaims his religion above all else. Funny what some will do to get a leg up for politics .

[rsdsharp]

22. A couple of months ago I spent 19 hours in the emergency room.

Only about 4 of those were in the ER waiting room. I was “lucky.” How soon you get treatment is based on how serious your condition is. Some people had already been waiting 8 hours when we got there. A large part of that wait are due to short staffing issues.

The remainder of the time was spent in a treatment room. There were no rooms in the hospital to put me in. There were empty rooms, but there was no staff to cover them, which in turn meant that I occupied a treatment room that might have been utilized by someone else in the waiting room.

For profit medicine is really the issues; the bean counters in charge care more about profit than care.

[3Hotdogs]

23. Well, fuck me. Next time I'm in the E.R.,

I’m gonna ask everyone in the room if they are illegal. If they are, I’m gonna tell ‘em to fuck off to Cuba and get their free healthcare from Fidel.













Yes, Martha, It’s sarcasm.

[rzemanfl]

26. We can't say "twit" on DU???

When did that happen?

[Miles Archer]

30. "A"

Not "I"

"A"

[rzemanfl]

31. Really. Imagine that. Well, I never. n/t

[Joinfortmill]

34. Lol

[Joinfortmill]

32. Vance the Vampire

[elleng]

37. Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires emergency departments to screen and stabilize

every person who arrives, regardless of insurance, income or immigration status.