Comatose immigrant transfer opposed

CHICAGO, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The University of Illinois Medical Center is facing opposition over plans to transfer a comatose undocumented immigrant to his native Mexico.

Because Francisco Pantaleon, 30, has little hope of recovering from a brain hemorrhage, the center has arranged to pay for his transfer to a facility in Acapulco with the consent of his immediate family, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

But Pantaleon's sister and cousin oppose the move and have hired attorneys in hopes of preventing it.

At issue is a little-known practice at hospitals of sending medically needy undocumented immigrants to their countries of origin.

"We can't arrange long-term care here, so we try to do the best we can in the country of origin," Dr. William Chamberlin, chief medical officer at the center, told the Tribune.

A spokeswoman for the Mexican consulate says the hospital bypassed certain legal procedures that it should have followed, including informing the consulate of plans to move the patient, the Tribune said.