As Immigrants Grow Fearful Over Their Safety, Health Concerns Escalate

By Sophia Cardona

Seeking medical care has become a daunting decision for many immigrants, as getting caught up in an ICE raid or being questioned by law enforcement is a constant worry. 

Yamel Gallego, who entered the country on a visa more than 26 years ago after migrating from his home country of Mexico, has experienced that same worry. Though he entered the country legally and is a permanent resident, being targeted by ICE is not something he feels immune to. 

“I no longer feel free to give another person a ride in my truck or in my car. I don’t feel free to drop four or five people off at the store or the gas station because there is no feeling of safety, like maybe there was a few years ago. My day-to-day life has changed,” Gallego said.

As the director of the Hispanic community at a Catholic church in Northeast Florida, Gallego has witnessed the hesitancy of seeking healthcare among other members of the community.

“I don’t think they are leaving us the option to choose between freedom and safety; rather, they’re imposing it. They are imposing that there is no other option,” he said. 

Health resources for undocumented immigrants are limited, as they do not benefit from federally funded health coverage, such as Medicaid and Obamacare. 

After the “One Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law on July 4 by President Donald Trump, many lawfully present immigrants, such as asylum seekers and refugees, were put at risk of losing healthcare benefits, as eligibility was modified.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), over 1.4 million lawfully present immigrants could lose access to healthcare. This large number represents people with temporary protected status (TPS), asylum seekers and refugees, among other groups. 

Aside from laws preventing certain groups from benefiting from health coverage and other subsidies, the fear of being detained and deported has been a big reason for immigrants’ hesitancy to seek such services. 

According to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), an independent health policy organization, published in May 2025, one in 10 lawfully present immigrants have avoided seeking medical care. An executive director at a free health clinic in Northeast Florida has seen this play out. 

“We’ve definitely seen a decline, and there’s two ways that I know this is true: one is our existing patients who just aren’t, you know, Americans born in America, have canceled appointments or not come to their appointments,” she said. “And there used to be a company in the county that would bring immigrants in legally, as far as I knew, to be able to work in the farms, and it’s been months since we’ve seen them.”

The executive director requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal against the health clinic and for the safety of her patients.  

The survey conducted by KFF also found that “about one-third of immigrants are unsure whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can arrest immigrants at schools, hospitals and churches.” 

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals and emergency rooms to treat people regardless of their immigration status or proof of insurance, making healthcare a human right, not a bipartisan debate. However, in May 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1718 into law, which requires hospitals to ask for the immigration status of patients. Though patients are not obligated to answer in order to be treated, the law instills uncertainty and fear. 

Attending a doctor’s appointment or going to the hospital under the current administration has become a challenging decision. According to Ariel Sepulveda, organizing director at The Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), immigrants should have their guard up wherever they go.  

“Unfortunately, there were things like safe spaces that were protected and thought to not really be easily accessible for ICE agents to come and inspect, but that is no longer the case with this administration,” she said. 

As tensions involving immigration policies rise, the health clinic executive director wonders how far these policies will go and how much harm they will cause. The possibility of health clinics becoming a target for ICE agents has been a lingering worry in her mind, as she recognizes free health clinics are an essential resource for many immigrants in the country who are not eligible for health coverage. 

“The Department of Corrections moved into our building, and that made me even more worried,” she said. “Every day I’m like, ‘oh God, please don’t let this happen here.’”

As a safety measure, the health clinic has stopped asking for immigration statuses and passports, as the executive director fears the possibility of ICE agents coming in and requesting them. 

“I can tell you that if they came here, we will never question their status, and if they share with us their status, we’ll do everything to protect them while they’re in our facility,” she said. 

Though the executive director is optimistic that she can uphold the protection of her patients, is there such a thing as a guarantee of safety for immigrants in today’s political climate? 

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data, as of June 2025, there were 51.9 million immigrants living in the U.S. As immigration crackdown efforts escalate, being detained by the color of one’s skin or the language one speaks has become a newfound fear due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, which stated the “totality of circumstances” is enough to prove reasonable suspicion for detaining people. This keeps many from seeking medical attention and other health services, a trend that could jeopardize the nation’s overall health. This is not just an immigration issue.

“We have a nationwide health crisis, we just don’t see it. People just don’t pay attention,” the executive director said. “I mean, just people who, you know, might have something simple who could get it treated, who are like, ‘you know what? I’m not going to go over there close to the sheriff’s department or close to the Department of Corrections.’” 

These uncertainties have been perpetuated by the government shutdown, which occurred on Oct. 1 and broke the record for the longest government shutdown in American history on Nov. 4, making it 43 days long. 

The shutdown in part stemmed from an argument made by Republicans, which accused Democrats of letting American citizens pay millions in taxes for the medical care of undocumented immigrants. Though undocumented immigrants are not in fact eligible for Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Obamacare, Vice President JD Vance’s claim that tax money is paying for the health coverage of undocumented immigrants has grown into a popular right-wing belief. 

Even after the re-opening of the government, political conflicts continue to place immigrants in a cross-fire. Unsure of their future, mental health struggles have also become prevalent among them. 

KFF’s survey found that one-third of immigrants say they have experienced negative health impacts due to worries about their immigration status, including increased stress and anxiety, problems sleeping and worsening health conditions. 

“I would say, and again, this is off the top of my head, but I would say at least 70% of our patients list one or both of those as a problem that they’re having,” the executive director said. “Because when you can’t make enough money to pay your rent or to buy your food, or you have to work three or four jobs in order to just try and make ends meet, you just get in this cycle of anxiety and you lose hope, and that leads to depression.”

The hope of many immigrants is at a breaking point, as they have become insecure about food, health and safety, making them question what there is left for them to rely on. 

“It’s like when you buy a house and you finish paying it off, and suddenly there is an outstanding debt from 30 years ago that comes up and they try to take the property from you. There is no guarantee that you are protected,” Gallego said. 

Immigrants are under a microscope and simply stepping out of their homes could end their freedom as they know it. A new survey by KFF and the New York Times, published on Nov. 18, revealed that 60% of undocumented immigrants are concerned about the possibility of their migratory status and personal information being shared with law enforcement.

“We don’t want folks living in fear, but we do want them to take precaution and protect themselves in every way possible. So we do want them to learn to know what they can access, like hospitals, and know what community centers they can go to for trusted information,” said Sepulveda. “I think now more than ever, knowing, relying on each other, but then also knowing their rights, knowing how to enforce their rights.”

The Trump administration’s claim of going after the “worst of the worst” criminals has been discredited, as even those with no criminal record are living in fear, such as Gallego.

“I have been here for 26 years and I have tried to be prudent and do everything according to the rules, statutes and laws of the United States. But even after that, I believe that as a human being and as a resident of the United States, I should have certain rights, but right now I feel like I have lost them simply because of the fact that I am from another country,” he said. 

Amid great uncertainty and fear, Gallego believes that relying on local communities has become a safety net for immigrants, something the executive director of the health clinic wants to prioritize to ensure a safe space for everyone. 

“When our provider sees you, they don’t care, you’re a human being — that’s it. A human being that needs help, and that’s as far as we go,” she said.