Doctors Alarmed as Trump's Immigration Crackdown Becomes a Health Crisis

Undocumented immigrants in Texas are avoiding hospitals and preventive care due to fears of deportation, leading to more severe medical conditions.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:42pm

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After a 54-year-old undocumented immigrant in Edinburg, Texas fell and injured her head, she refused to go to the hospital out of fear of being detained by immigration authorities. This is part of a broader trend across Texas, where undocumented immigrants are avoiding hospitals and preventive care due to increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Hospitals have reported a significant drop in visits from undocumented patients, with some border-area hospitals seeing declines of over 50%. Experts warn this could lead to more severe medical conditions and public health crises in the state.

Why it matters

The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration has created a climate of fear that is preventing undocumented immigrants from seeking necessary medical care, even for serious injuries and illnesses. This not only jeopardizes the health of these individuals, but also poses risks to public health more broadly, as preventable diseases could spread more easily if people avoid hospitals and clinics.

The details

After the 54-year-old Edinburg woman fell and injured her head, she refused to go to the hospital, fearing she could be detained by immigration authorities. This is part of a broader trend across Texas, where undocumented immigrants are avoiding hospitals and preventive care due to increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Data from Texas hospitals shows a 32% drop in visits from undocumented patients between November 2024 and August, while visits by legally present patients increased by 14%. The steepest declines were seen in hospitals near the Mexico border. Experts say this delay in care could lead to more severe medical conditions and higher costs down the line.

  • In November 2024, Texas hospitals reported about 30,000 visits from undocumented immigrants.
  • By August, that number had dropped by 32% to 20,345 visits.

The players

Edinburg woman

A 54-year-old undocumented immigrant who lives in South Texas and refused to go to the hospital after falling and injuring her head, fearing she could be detained by immigration authorities.

Greg Abbott

The governor of Texas who ordered hospitals in November 2024 to start asking patients about their citizenship status, a move that has contributed to the decline in undocumented immigrants seeking medical care.

Drishti Pillai

The director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a health policy organization, who says new policies like Texas' hospital citizenship question have exacerbated challenges for undocumented immigrants accessing healthcare.

Ryan Padrez

An associate director at Stanford University's Center on Early Childhood, who is concerned about the long-term impacts on children whose undocumented parents are avoiding hospitals and preventive care.

Phil Huang

The director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services, who says the dramatic drop in county-administered vaccinations is likely tied to undocumented immigrants' concerns about immigration enforcement.

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What they’re saying

“It's not worth the risk.”

— Edinburg woman

“Substantial shares of immigrants are saying they have avoided seeking medical care due to immigration related fears.”

— Drishti Pillai, Director of immigrant health policy, KFF

“They're not putting themselves or their child at risk. Families are choosing to delay care for now.”

— Ryan Padrez, Associate director, Stanford University Center on Early Childhood

“When state and federal governments design and implement immigration policies and enforcement to force communities into hiding, under threat of violence, whole communities suffer.”

— Lynn Cowles, Director of health and food justice, Every Texan

“The very systems that are supposed to be there to help are now not trusted.”

— Ann Barnes, President and CEO, Episcopal Health Foundation

What’s next

Experts warn that the long-term impacts of undocumented immigrants avoiding healthcare could lead to more severe medical conditions, public health crises, and higher costs down the line. Policymakers and healthcare providers will need to address the climate of fear and mistrust that is preventing these communities from seeking necessary care.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies have created a public health crisis in Texas, as undocumented immigrants are increasingly avoiding hospitals and preventive care out of fear of deportation. This not only jeopardizes the health of these individuals, but also poses broader risks to public health in the state.