PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Immigrants and their families are avoiding medical attention out of fear of ICE and similar immigration enforcement, according to a recent survey.
Out of the nearly 700 health care workers Physicians for Human Rights surveyed across 30 states, 84% said they’ve noticed a decrease in patient visits amid intensified immigration enforcement policies enacted by the Trump administration.
“Children are showing up at hospital emergency rooms unaccompanied because parents are afraid to come in,” said PHR’s Executive Director Sam Zarifi.
Seven percent of those surveyed said they’ve seen ICE or border patrol presence inside medical facilities, and more than one-quarter reported immigration enforcement has directly affected patient care.
“That, to me, suggests bad public policy. It’s a violation of international human rights, and frankly, it’s immoral and dangerous for the community,” Zarifi said. “In the past, we had seen much greater respect for the notion of a sensitive location’s policy.”
And it’s not just the immigrant community he’s talking about, though Zarifi noted immigrants and their children are in many cases experiencing worse physical and mental health. He also said this hesitancy means lower vaccination rates, and less preventive care means more potential strain on emergency services down the line.
“When you have an entire population that’s not showing up and not receiving proper health care, that makes all of us worse off,” Zarifi said.