Opinion: I was an undocumented immigrant. Now I’m a doctor watching the immigration crackdown keep my patients from seeking care

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Source: STAT News

Original: https://www.statnews.com/2026/01/27/immigration-enforcement-health-care-system-f...

Published: Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:30:00 +0000

A doctor who was once an undocumented immigrant himself is now witnessing how immigration crackdowns are discouraging his patients from seeking health care. Public health and immigration enforcement cannot safely co-exist. The author emphasizes that these measures prevent patients from accessing the necessary medical assistance. As a doctor, he watches patients avoid surgeries for fear of immigration checks. This view points to the tension between health needs and immigration policy. The doctor shares his personal experience from the undocumented period, which helps him understand the patients' situation. Repressions in immigration thus directly affect the health behavior of illegal immigrants.