No VISA for Plasma, Blood vs Plasma and the Economics of It

The market pricing is curious.  Mexicans earn $400/month donating twice a month, but the poor in the US are receiving $30 to $60/donation for plasma?  

My questions is why is the government involved?  Why shouldn't "the poorest Americans" be compensated for their time and biological efforts?  I have donated a fair amount of blood over the and was always told my body replaced it with in just a few days. The Delaware Blood Bank would only let you donate once a month as i recall. I think the "twice a week" must be for plasma. 

As a college student I was a blood donating pin cushion for my family and friends of my family. The Blood Bank of Delaware gave you unlimited blood for your any member of your family when needed for free,  One joined and then donated when called, about once every 2 or 3 years.  As an alternative one could pay $25 to "buy" your donation.

My Dad did the donating when called with my mother too scared of needles.  When the blood bank deemed my Dad too old (55 years old?) my parents thought $25 was pricey and gave me $10 to donate for them. Most of the Delaware/Maryland Finnish community was even older than my parents and soon I was donating every couple of months to fulfill someone's obligation.

Donating was pretty painless at the University, with the Donation Center just off campus and student nurses from the University often there to hold your hand. There was also a dixie cup of OJ and a cookie as your reward every time for being a good boy. 

As a good Simaritain with O+ blood I would donate for free every one in a while when the Blood Bank called claiming a shortage after I graduated and moved away. It was much more clinical at the Red Cross and not a student nurse in sight, but the dixie cup of OJ and a cookie were still there. 

I have aged and medicated out of blood donating decades ago, but recommend it. 

Not the US government, the Mexican Government: "Selling blood has been illegal in Mexico since 1987." If the migrants could sell their blood in mexico there would be no need to come here.

In the US the blood supply is thoroughly checked, but not the patients. Your relative's story of possible future health problems from possible bad blood is tragic, but since AIDs the US blood supply is very safe and one of the reasons the US exports so much. If other countries, like Mexico, adopted the US's collection standards, their would be more blood available at lower cost.