Hey LasVegas2009, go crawl back under your rock. Hispanic-Americans are Americans and we're as diversified according to socioeconomic and educational level as any group. We're the fastest growing 'minority' in the US, baby, so if you and your brethren with your overtly racist views don't like it, then you're in trouble.

The problem here is American companies hiring folks who aren't legally here. (Everyone should be here legally.) They hire them because they just want to work and accomplish the American dream.

Now after making the first mistake of hiring undocumented workers a company mistreats it's employees and doesn't afford them their dignity, then that's a double shame on them.

This ain't about 'illegals'; this is about the abuses of companies who benefit tremendously from cheap labor.

Comprende? You dumb [expletive].

What about your lack of leadership Mr. Governor? Or eight years of Mr. Bush? I'd say that probably has more to do with "struggling families [...]." How convenient to sabotage any good-will with your back-handed invitation to the president.

I second most posters sentiments on this--our state is already last in so many programs and services--education, health care, etc.

Certainly there's wasteful spending in all sectors, but it's high time that business ponies up their fair share--in particular the mining industry who are making money hand over fist from our state's natural resources.

It's difficult to be sympathetic to either party. Jim Rhodes is one of many greedy developers in Las Vegas and NVCI only provides cancer treatment to the rich and famous (despite accepting millions from taxpayers).

They deserve each other.

Right on nednougat, let's just blame illegal immigration for everything--the recession, stupid Nevada voters who elected Gibbons, the state's high obesity rate, TV's M.A.S.H. being canceled, etc.

For all you know, it can simply be someone visiting from Mexico, a family that traveled to Mexico on vacation, etc. Your impulsive and implicit disdain for immigrants is obvious.

@stevem

What a perfectly stupid and unnecessary opening thought!? What does this jerk being illegal have to do with driving drunk? When I lost my cousin to some idiot who had to drink and drive, guess what my friend, he was your standard issue white guy from Jersey. Stupidity cuts across all lines, class, races, gender, education, etc.

Not surprising--Gibbons and his Republican cronies have proved time and again that they either simply cannot get out of their own way or seemingly sabotage their own 'efforts' purposely.

The governor does this for one reason and one reason only--it gives him an escape mechanism from having to roll up his sleeves and making the tough decisions.

@betterhealthcare
I agree that UMC didn't handle this in the best possible way. On the other hand, I'm not sure if there are any real solutions for these folks--if their going to the county hospital, they probably don't have too many other similar options out there--UMC is the safety net.

To your point about marketing, I disagree--marketing is a drop in the bucket when we're talking a shortfall of tens of millions of dollars in operational revenue. It's customary to think of advertising as a four-letter word, but I'm okay with using my taxpayer money to try to increase awareness that the hospital does offer other specialties and to try to increase revenue--often medical specialties that are generate more revenue help offset the cost of other specialties that are not. There's nothing dirty about talking dollars/cents here, because it's not like UMC is raking in dollars in one area and disregarding others. They may increase revenue but they're certainly not profiting--no one's getting rich here by marketing.

Somer Hollingsworth and the Nevada Development Authority should be ashamed of themselves. What an asinine assertion--sweep this problem under the rug because we don't want the world to know the truth about how inept and dysfunctional our local and state governments are in Nevada??? Are you kidding me??? Shame on you.

We shouldn't allow our health care professionals to talk to the media because of the PR ramifications??? Wow, the very idea just betrays just how backwards our collective mentality is here in this state.

This can happen anywhere, anytime.

However, what I find reprehensible is how it's official policy to protect the casinos of Nevada. It's all about the casinos, not the people. They don't pay their fair share of taxes and they're always shielded from bad press.