Ohio is the worst state for undocumented immigrants when it comes to health

Ohio is the least inclusive state in the country when it comes to policies promoting the health and well-being of undocumented immigrants, according to a report released on Thursday.

The study, by researchers at the UC Global Health Institute and UCLA, looked at policies that can affect health, including access to public benefits, higher education, and driver’s licenses, as well as good labor practices.

Ohio came in last, but Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia weren’t much better.

“Those states that are at the bottom did the least amount of work,” said Michael A. Rodríguez, a UCLA professor and coauthor of the report. “When you’re at the bottom, it means you’re doing essentially nothing with regards to these policies that we’ve identified.”

States that provide better services for undocumented immigrants are actually saving themselves money in the long run, according to Rodríguez.

“We acknowledge that it does cost resources to provide these services,” he said, “but we find that if you don’t, then you might be penny wise but pound foolish.”

California finished first among states when it came to policies promoting health and wellness among undocumented immigrants.

Here are the top 10:

Ted Hesson was formerly the immigration editor at Fusion, covering the issue from Washington, D.C. He also writes about drug laws and (occasionally) baseball. On the side: guitars, urban biking, and fiction.