Should the US "welfare state" include everybody?

[Prometheus]

UHC is constantly talked about, which would become a huge part of the "welfare state."

BIG is constantly talked about, which would be just as big if not bigger, even though it would [should] replace all other existing welfare programs (including SSI).

But who should get it?

Should we just extend it to everyone who happens to make it inside our borders?

Hellz naw!

UHC should only be available to citizens and green card holders. Emergency and maintenance care should only be extended to those who have paperwork showing that they are waiting on their asylum hearing. Everyone else has to pay as you go - and I mean pay at the cashier's desk before you get treated.* And they should all be expecting USCIS (formerly INS) to be visiting them before they leave the hospital.

As for BIG, it should only be available to citizens and green card holders who also can verify that they are paying taxes, and no one else.

I know that sounds mean, horrible, and authoritarian, but UHC and BIG for illegals would add a quarter of a trillion dollars (at least) to the tax burden of the citizenry. That's about 900 to 1,000 dollars more a year that the average citizen would have to pay in taxes... probably more when you account for the people who just take their UHC and BIG and sit out the rest of their lives without working.

All those fancy-schmancy Nordic countries that everyone raves about have SEVERE restrictions on immigration and naturalization (and have personal income taxes that range from 45 to 60%).

I'll even go one step further: citizenship tests for everyone. I brought this up on v2 a couple years ago, but my concept was a bit unwieldy, so I'll streamline it:

From the date of implementation, every person in the US (non-green card holder or illegal alien), 18 (or turning 18 that year) or older (disabilities noted), has precisely 1 year to take a citizenship test. Once they take the test, they will be sworn in (same as naturalized citizens) and be eligible for the welfare state... and to vote. Fail the test, become a green card holder until you pass. After that, people will just take their tests on or about their 18th birthday. I hope they pass before the first semester of college starts because they aren't getting free college either if they aren't citizens. Hell. Just lump it in with final exams.

Oh... the test needs to be hard... like SAT hard. There should be a section for language skills and one for civics knowledge at least.

Don't you think it would be nice if all the voters were healthy, stress-free, and knowledgeable about the American democratic process?

I do.

*In an emergency situation, they get treated but can't leave until the bill is paid.