According to ICE’s own “sensitive locations” policy, agents are prohibited from taking “enforcement actions” against persons of interest inside hospitals and medical facilities. The agency, however, has found ways around the policy’s ambiguity in the interest of national security. This doesn't stop them from camping out to try to apprehend people. They have to have a warrant or a supeona, and any instance that comes to play you need to get your hospitals legal team involved asap. Overall, while this may seem reactionary, the fear of deportation is a barrier to health access, and is a risk factor for poor health outcomes due to fear associated with the on paper printing of someone's citizenship status. Advocacy and the upholding of human rights is a core tenant of nursing and we need to hold fast to that in these next four years especially.
#Nursetok #healthcare #healthcareaccess #healthcareisahumanright #hipaa #emtala #socialjustice #humanrights #ice #undocumentedimmigrants #lamigra