Doctor questions AZ immigration law
by Bob McClay/KTAR (June 8th, 2010 @ 3:16pm)

PHOENIX -- Arizona doctors have questions about Arizona's new immigration law.

Dr. Lucas Restrepo of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, outlined the worries in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Restrepo said doctors are concerned because the law "specifies that those who conceal, harbor or shield or attempt to conceal, harbor or shield a foreign person who came to the United States illegally are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor."

If a doctor treats an illegal immigrant, Restrepo said, "someone could advance the argument that they are shielding or concealing that person."

Restrep said his job is to treat his patients.

"It is not my job to inquire about their legal status, their papers or whether they have violated any laws."

Restrepo said firefighters and paramedics are specifically exempt from the harboring provisions of the law, but doctors are not.

"Any physician has to protect his patients. If I'm going to go around asking whether they have violated the law, whether they are here legally or illegally, then I think I'm going to betray my intentions to help patients and to help people regain their health."

Restrepo added, "My job is very precise. I try to help a person get better. Whether they're criminal, whether they're law-abiding, whether they're a nice person or a terrible person, whether they're Republican or Democrat, I could not care less."

Restrepo said he has called several legislators with his questions, but has no answer on whether doctors, people who work in hospitals and other workers in the medical community are exempt.