Texas Governor orders hospitals to collect immigration status data

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug 9, 2024
Contact: Timothy Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org

Washington, D.C. – Governor Greg Abbott of Texas issued an executive order directing the state’s hospitals and health care centers to question patients about their immigration status beginning on November 1, 2024. According to the governor’s office, the policy is intended to determine the costs of providing medical care to people living in the U.S. without authorization.

While the order directs healthcare providers to provide treatment regardless of immigration status, advocates are concerned that such data collection could deter immigrant community members from seeking care – similar to the chilling effect that has been reported in Florida after state officials required hospitals to collect information on patients’ immigration status.

In reaction to the new Texas executive order, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge, expressed the nonprofit’s unease, saying:

“We are deeply concerned that this policy could dissuade immigrant families from seeking urgent medical care they very much need. It plays politics with the lives of vulnerable people who may fear that a visit to the doctor could mean deportation from their loved ones and from the communities they’ve often contributed to for decades. The move also risks alienating the healthcare professionals we already ask so much of, and who never imagined being put in such a position. We urge Governor Abbott to reconsider and rescind policies that run counterproductive to the public health of all who call Texas home.”

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About us: 

Global Refuge, formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, is a nonprofit serving newcomers seeking safety, support, and a share in the American dream. For 85 years, we have welcomed those seeking refuge, upholding a legacy of compassion and grace for people in crisis. We walk alongside individuals, families, and children as they begin their new lives in the United States through our work in refugee resettlement, welcome and respite services for asylum seekers, economic empowerment and employment, and family unification for unaccompanied children. To date, we have served over 750,000 people from around the globe. At Global Refuge, welcoming newcomers isn’t just our duty—it’s an inherent part of our identity, rooted in our Lutheran heritage and inspired values, and serving as a testament to our unwavering commitment to those in search of refuge.