The Senate also defeated a bill to require hospitals to contact federal immigration officials or local law enforcement if people being treated lack insurance and can't demonstrate legal status.
The above quote is from the Fox News link Edwina's Secretary posted. I just found out that in Illinois, hospitals have the option, but are not required to contact the consulate or embassy of a patient's country of origin if the patient lacks insurance and is unable to demonstrate legal status. Or even if they can demonstrate legal status.

We have had some difficult situations at work recently where a patient is the citizen of another country and has significant health care needs (chemotherapy, intravenous nutrition, rehabilitative care, ongoing care for a high-risk pregnancy and I could go on and on). One was a lady in her 70s from a Middle Eastern country here visiting her adult child, who is a U.S. citizen. She came to the emergency department with complaints that could have been related to any number of problems, and sadly was given a life-changing diagnosis. She was here legally and while visiting her family, needed medical care. Others are not here legally and that poses another whole set of issues. Sometimes there is not much the embassy can do, but I just think they should be told. And contacting ICE, well, that just seems overly harsh to me. I don't think they can do much either.

Question: If my American husband and I are living in another country temporarily - and we have a child while we live there - is the child automatically a citizen of that country? Does the birthright citizenship scenario apply to countries other than the U.S.?

Thanks,
elyse