Survey: ICE tactics and deportation fears limit health care access for immigrants’ kids – NorthcentralPA.com

Report on the Impact of U.S. Immigration Enforcement on Healthcare Access and Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A survey conducted by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and Migrant Clinicians Network (MCN) reveals that U.S. immigration enforcement actions have created significant barriers to healthcare, undermining key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings demonstrate a direct negative impact on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). This report summarizes the survey’s findings and analyzes them within the framework of these global development objectives.

Survey Findings: A Setback for Health and Equality Goals

The survey, which included 691 healthcare workers across 30 states from March to August 2025, documents a chilling effect on both immigrant and U.S. citizen patients, directly contravening the universal health coverage targets of SDG 3.

Key Statistical Findings

• 84% of surveyed health care workers reported significant or moderate decreases in patient visits, impeding progress toward ensuring healthy lives for all.
• 26% of clinicians reported that immigration enforcement has directly affected patient care, highlighting a systemic barrier to achieving SDG 3.
• 7% reported Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) presence inside their health care facilities, eroding the integrity of health institutions as safe spaces, a core tenet of SDG 16.
• Services most affected include preventive services (43%), chronic disease management (36%), and mental health care (28%), all critical components of SDG 3.
• Patient fears of deportation (49%) and family separation (39%) were cited as primary concerns, illustrating how policy-induced stress directly harms mental and physical well-being (SDG 3).
• 27% of respondents identified fear of benefit enrollment as a barrier, showing how policies increase inequality (SDG 10) by preventing eligible individuals from accessing support systems.

Analysis of Healthcare Impediments in Relation to SDGs

The survey identifies five primary ways children’s access to healthcare is impeded, each representing a failure to meet specific SDG targets.

1. Children Navigating Healthcare Alone

   Reports of children arriving at emergency rooms unaccompanied due to parental fear of detention signify a severe breakdown of the family support structure essential for well-being. This practice obstructs informed consent and follow-up care, directly compromising the quality of healthcare and undermining SDG 3. It also reflects an erosion of trust in public institutions, which is counterproductive to building the strong, inclusive institutions envisioned in SDG 16.

2. Trauma from Family Separation Threats

   Healthcare providers report children as young as six presenting with anxiety due to fear of family separation. This policy-induced psychological distress is a direct assault on SDG Target 3.4, which aims to promote mental health and well-being. The creation of preventable, generational trauma moves communities further away from this global goal.

3. Public Health Consequences of Reduced Outdoor Activity

   Fear of immigration enforcement is reportedly causing families to avoid public spaces like parks, leading to social isolation and physical health issues such as obesity. This trend not only impacts individual health (SDG 3) but also undermines SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), which calls for providing universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces.

4. Delayed Diagnoses and Foregone Treatment

   The pattern of delayed diagnoses and parents declining necessary medical procedures for their children due to fear represents a critical failure in providing equitable access to essential healthcare services. This directly violates the principles of SDG 3, which advocates for universal health coverage and access to quality care, leading to preventable complications and poorer health outcomes.

5. Erosion of Social Safety Nets

   The avoidance of essential benefit programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), even by eligible U.S. citizen children, demonstrates how policies can exacerbate inequality. This fear transforms protective systems into perceived threats, undermining SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by denying vulnerable populations access to fundamental resources for health and survival.

Recommendations for Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

To mitigate these harms and realign with international human rights standards and the SDGs, the following actions are recommended:

• End immigration enforcement actions that curtail access to healthcare. This includes codifying the “Sensitive Locations” policy to protect healthcare facilities, thereby strengthening institutional integrity as per SDG 16.
• Cease data-sharing practices between social services and immigration enforcement to restore trust and ensure that all eligible individuals, particularly children, can access health and nutrition benefits, in line with SDG 3 and SDG 10.
• Align U.S. immigration policies with international human rights standards to ensure that the goals of reducing inequality (SDG 10) and promoting well-being (SDG 3) are upheld for all members of the community.
• Support healthcare institutions and workers in creating safe and trusted environments that facilitate access to care, fulfilling their role as key actors in achieving SDG 3.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights several issues related to healthcare access for immigrant populations, which directly connect to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The core of the article focuses on the disruption of healthcare services, the rise in mental health issues, delayed medical diagnoses, and the overall negative impact on the physical and psychological well-being of immigrants and their children.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article explicitly details how a specific population group (immigrants and their families, including U.S. citizen children) faces significant barriers to essential services due to their status or perceived status. This creates a clear inequality in health outcomes compared to the general population.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The issues stem from immigration enforcement actions and policies. The article discusses the fear of institutions (like ICE and CBP), the breakdown of trust in public systems (like Medicaid), and calls for policy changes to align with human rights standards, which relates to creating accountable, just, and inclusive institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific problems described in the article, the following SDG targets are relevant:

1. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The article directly addresses this by describing how “chronic disease management” is affected and how children are presenting with “anxiety” and “emotional distress” due to the fear of family separation.
   • Target 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.” The central theme of the article is the denial of access to essential healthcare. It states that services like “preventive services,” “chronic disease management,” and “mental health care” are all negatively impacted. The fear of enrolling in or renewing benefits like Medicaid also points to a failure in achieving universal health coverage for this population.
2. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.” The article demonstrates the social exclusion of a group based on their origin and immigration status, preventing them from accessing a fundamental service like healthcare.
   • Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…” The article describes how immigration enforcement policies lead to unequal health outcomes, such as “delayed diagnoses” and “preventable trauma.” The call to end these actions and align policies with “international human rights standards” is a direct appeal to address this target.
3. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The article points to a lack of accountability in enforcement institutions, citing the “presence [of ICE or CBP] inside of their health care facilities,” which undermines the primary function of healthcare institutions and creates fear.
   • Target 16.b: “Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.” The article argues that the enforcement policies have a discriminatory effect on immigrant families, negatively impacting community health. The recommendation to “codify the ‘Sensitive Locations’ policy” is a call for a non-discriminatory policy to protect access to essential services.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides both quantitative and qualitative data from the survey that can serve as indicators to measure progress.

• For SDG 3 Targets:
  • Quantitative Indicators:
    • Percentage of health care workers reporting decreases in patient visits (reported as 84%).
    • Percentage of clinicians reporting that enforcement has directly affected patient care (reported as 26%).
    • Percentage of providers reporting impacts on preventive services (43%), chronic disease management (36%), and mental health care (28%).
  • Qualitative Indicators:
    • Reports of children presenting with anxiety and emotional distress.
    • Instances of delayed diagnoses and late-stage disease presentations.
    • Accounts of parents declining surgery or delaying emergency care for their children.
    • Reports of families avoiding Medicaid and SNAP enrollment or renewal.
• For SDG 10 Targets:
  • Quantitative Indicators:
    • Percentage of patients citing fear of deportation as a barrier to care (49%).
    • Percentage of patients citing fear of family separation as a barrier (39%).
  • Qualitative Indicators:
    • Descriptions of U.S. citizen children losing healthcare coverage due to their parents’ fears.
    • Reports of children being forced to navigate healthcare systems alone.
• For SDG 16 Targets:
  • Quantitative Indicators:
    • Percentage of health care facilities with reported ICE or CBP presence (7%).
  • Qualitative Indicators:
    • The perception of public benefit systems (the “safety net”) as a “trap” due to surveillance fears.
    • The “chilling effects” of enforcement policies on the community’s willingness to engage with public services.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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