Advocacy
This section provides information about civic engagement around critical issues such as detention, deportation, discrimination, and racism affecting our patients and their communities. Included is information on changing your institution, contacting your representatives regarding ICE and immigration policy as well as tips to follow as you attend rallies or protests.
​​
​
Public Health Awakened has a short guide for actions folks in public health can take now to protect vulnerable immigrant families. Here are things you can do now:
-
Action #1: Continue to promote health agency policies to provide services to all people, and to ensure all people understand that they are welcome at the agency
-
Action #2: Support cities, counties, and states that pledge to provide sanctuary in different forms to undocumented residents and to reject 287(g) agreements
-
Action #3: Advocate that local and state government create a legal defense fund for undocumented residents
-
Action #4: Connect undocumented clients and their families with legal rights and community organizing groups
-
Action #5: Join/build alliances that cross issue areas and include immigration
-
Action #6: Encourage and support the efforts of sister agencies, including in criminal justice, to protect undocumented people and their families
-
Action #7: Encourage labor enforcement to adopt and implement policies that protect worker rights, regardless of immigration status
-
Action #8: Review other health agency policies and services, considering how undocumented populations may be impacted
-
Action #9: Work to change a narrative that portrays undocumented people negatively
​​
Star Tribune/Getty Images
Report Violations
Healthcare providers play a crucial role in advocating for the rights of patients. If you witness any human rights violations, such as mistreatment by ICE in clinical settings or the community, we encourage you to report these incidents. Your voice can help bring awareness to these issues and promote change for those affected.
Tools for Organizing
How do we get institutional support for policies that ensure clinic and hospital spaces are the safe spaces they need to be to best serve our patients? ​Asking for new policies and support of existing policies assumes that advocates are using the structures of the institutional system to implement change.
Sanctuary Policies
Find details on the value of sanctuary policies and links to articles and reports on the state of sanctuary across the U.S. As this landscape is rapidly changing, refer to the listed organizations' websites for the latest updates.
Family Separation
Family separation has devastating physical, emotional, and psychological effects on children, parents, and entire communities. Forced separation due to immigration policies can cause toxic stress, trauma, and long-term health consequences, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. These harms disproportionately affect marginalized communities already facing systemic inequities.​​
Help create policies to protect patients and their families.
Intersectionality
For individuals with multiple marginalized identities, the impact of these policies can be particularly severe. Structural barriers, discrimination, and compounding vulnerabilities make it harder to access healthcare, legal protection, and community support. We have compiled resources that specifically address the unique challenges faced by immigrants with intersectional identities. These materials offer guidance, advocacy tools, and support networks to help individuals navigate these complex systems.
