Kingdon’s Three Streams Relevance to My Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan
Problem The problem is that many immigrants do not have access to health insurance in South Florida and other parts of the country. The problem is further complicated by the fact that all immigrants are not seen as equally important or of value. They are separated into two groups—those who are here lawfully and those who are undocumented. It is important to my Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan that the problem definition be inclusive of all immigrants so that the most vulnerable among them—the undocumented—are included in the proposed policy solutions. Unfortunately, inclusivity creates divisiveness in how the problem is defined Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan.
Politics Nationally, there is no consensus across party lines regarding the provision of healthcare services or health insurance to undocumented immigrants. In Florida, the legislative and executive branches of government are controlled by the party that is unsupportive of undocumented immigrants. Also, healthcare is not seen as a basic human right in the U.S. Non-citizens cannot vote and therefore have no voice in the legislative processes. As a citizen and as a nurse, I have a moral and ethical responsibility to advocate for vulnerable populations who are denied the opportunity to speak for themselves.
Policy While there have been some initiatives to expand Medicaid or offer the opportunity to purchase health insurance for immigrants who are here lawfully, undocumented immigrants are excluded from these proposals. While I support all policies that address the unmet needs of immigrants, I also must ask that policies excluding the undocumented be amended to include them. Policies that separate families, defund sanctuary cities, or unduly limit immigration exacerbate the problem and contribute to ongoing poor health outcomes and health disparities among immigrants. Part of my Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan is to monitor health policies that negatively impact (or exclude) this population as well as be aware of—and challenge—other immigration policies and regulations that indirectly contribute to the problem.
Likelihood of Policy Change It is unlikely that the state and federal immigration and health reforms, I support, will be approved any time soon. There are deeply ingrained challenges in both the politics and policy streams at both levels of government, and the “legal” vs. “Illegal” differentiation prevents a single definition of the problem Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan. My Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan, however, reflects my long-term commitment to raising awareness on this issue and advancing these policy priorities.
Next Steps It is important for me to remain aware of issues and public/political opinion that frame the issue of immigration reform. To that end, my Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan includes subscriptions to legislative alert services at the state and federal levels. I also belong to two organizations that advocate for immigrants at the state and federal levels, which send alerts when state or federal proposals or regulations are introduced that impact the immigrant population. I already participated in one online campaign on this issue.    I am learning to carefully read and analyze proposed legislation, so I can engage with my elected officials in an informed manner.   As a Catholic, I have also financially contributed to and become a grassroots member of Catholic Charities-Immigration and Refugee Services, which has allowed me the opportunity to raise awareness and discuss my experiences with immigrants to congregations in my area.   I was recently asked to prepare committee hearing testimony that could be adapted and submitted at some future point, when needed.   I am also a member of the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, and I serve on the organization’s Legislative Action Committee. In that role, I have been able to raise awareness of immigrant health issues in the organization and in our “Policy Watch” endeavors at the national level. I am a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Nurses Association (ANA). (The ANA has an Issue Brief supporting healthcare for undocumented immigrants.)   Although I am not a “single issue” voter, I am mindful of candidate positions on immigration reform and plan to contribute financially to—and vote for—those who most align with my values and priorities as a nurse and citizen.   I need to learn more about the opposition to these reforms, so I am better prepared to address their arguments. I plan to listen to media sources more aligned with the opposition and to search the literature to separate fact from hype and opinion. I have learned that the key to policy advocacy is to be informed and prepared, so when engagement with my elected officials is needed (on an issue I am passionate about), I’m ready to engage  Personal Legislative Agenda & Action Plan.