According to federal law, people wounded or with illness can get treatment by hospitals or clinics, regardless of his or her immigration status, but things are changing since President Trump announced plan for mass deportations.
Now in the US, doctors, nurses and social workers are increasingly concerned that people with serious health or medical conditions are giving up medical care due to the fear triggered by the mass deportation plan. The plan also rescinded the policy effective during Biden-era that protected hospitals, clinics and churches from immigration enforcement. Health care officials believes a series of consequences may be seen in the coming days due to President Trump’s plan, such as infectious disease circulation, mounting health care cost because of delayed medical treatment and dangerous birth condition of the pregnant.
Research has shown that immigration crackdowns are linked with problems like poorer birth outcomes and mental health status, belated medical care and less accessing to public programs that reduce illness and poverty. A doctor who is also member of committee on federal government affairs expressed her concern that the new policies create not only serious health risks, but also economic risks in the long run for the US.
Many immigrant communities suffer from high rate of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes which, if left untreated can lead to serious conditions. There are many reported cases of patients with chronic disease stopped routine check-ups and medical care, or cancelled appointment with doctors because of their immigrant identity and the fear of the Administration’s crackdown policy. The consequences of abandoning regular medical care can be serious. For example, a patient in Los Angeles was described by the doctor in charge of her community heath network to have blood sugar rise to a dangerously high level as she stopped showing up at the routine medical education class.
Many of the children of immigrant parents who chose to skip appointment are in fact American citizens. In mixed-status families, parents tend to avoid the risk of deportation by not going to clinic or pharmacy. A pediatrician reported a 30% increase in no-shows for pediatric appointments among the underserved populations he cares for. Many of the patients who bring their children and were referred elsewhere for specialty care chose to refuse.
Another pediatrician who sees underserved patients at Baltimore said she encountered parents unwilling to bring their children to the emergency room out of fear. Some parents of children in dire situations such as those getting cancer treatment, are hoping their child’s condition may protect them. A pediatrician in South Florida who serves immigrant families expressed her anxiety about her plummeting patient attendance rate because they are missing out important childhood vaccines.
Some medical facilities have expressed their willingness to comply with immigration officials. But many other health facilities are finding a way to take a stand, such as not recording patient’s immigration status in their medical records. There is also a hospital whose staff hand out cards reminding patients of their right aiming to providing support in face of ICE.
In spite of the measures above, the fear is commonly seen. A minor was stabbed and needed his parents’ consent before treatment, however, he didn’t provide details about his parents because of the fear we all know. With the Administration’s mass deportation policy going on, “be a shadow and hope you don’t die” will keep haunting immigrants in the country.