Among those who receive tax-payer funded health care benefits from Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services (LACDHS) are illegal aliens, legal immigrants, and foreign nationals.

The cost of providing these services is a major factor in forcing the cash-strapped county to close down many clinics that serve the county's poor.

Nevertheless, the LACDHS refuses to collect money due it from the sponsors of immigrants who access certain health services, even though

• the sponsors have already agreed to pay for the services and have signed a legal contract to that effect, and
  
  
• Federal law requires public entities in the United States to seek reimbursement from an immigrant's sponsor if the immigrant accesses certain means-tested public benefits like those provided by the LACDHS
  

On behalf of two Los Angeles County taxpayers, FILE is seeking a court order to compel Los Angeles County's Department of Health Services to comply with Federal law and to seek reimbursement from the sponsors of legal immigrants for certain health care services.

Since initiating the petition, hundreds of Californians have contacted FILE asking that their names be added to the lawsuit, or that we intiate a similar action in their counties. demand has been so great, we are moving forward with plans to expand this effort.

If you would like to be notified about new developments in the LA County case, or notified when similar actions are initiated in California, please register here (registration does not necessarily guarantee inclusion in any class action).