by HPAE President Debbie White, RN

In America where the vast majority of citizens have come from immigrants, it is astounding to me that immigrants have suddenly become our “enemies.”  Historically those who came to this country, came for a better life and because they knew they would be welcomed.  Aside from the indigenous people, most of us have roots in immigrants.  But it would seem we are no longer a safe haven and a sanctuary for those who need a safe place to live with a promise of a future.

Just one week into the Trump administration, we have seen threats and actions that have brought much confusion and fear to many people. President Trump has changed federal rules and is now allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers into sensitive locations, including healthcare facilities, social services and schools. Thousands in our communities are being targeted and detained by ICE agents, some for simply appearing to be immigrants!

Kids don’t want to go to school, fearing mom and dad will be gone when they arrive home.  Patients are afraid to seek medical care, worried they will be arrested in their hospital beds.  Even churches and other houses of worship are no longer the sanctuaries they were considered to be in past years.

As healthcare workers we know that hospitals need to be safe and welcoming for those who need medical care; just as schools must be safe for children to learn. We must keep these spaces free from fear and trauma. Allowing ICE to disrupt medical treatment endangers health outcomes and traumatizes patients and caregivers and in schools, causes tremendous fear in both students and teachers creating an environment not conducive to learning.

Some estimate there are 10-12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. In a nation of more than 330 million people, it is ridiculous to ascribe our crime issues and economic ills to the poorest people in the U.S. We’re wasting resources pursuing immigrants that would be better used to meet America’s challenges. This effort will disrupt important economic sectors—agriculture, restaurants and construction, to name just a few—that rely on undocumented immigrants as their labor force. Besides forcing these workers and their families underground, the raids can heighten the abuse and exploitation of these workers by employers.

No one is safe, documented or undocumented, immigrants or citizens alike. This was visible in a recent raid at a Newark fish market, where one detainee was a U.S. citizen and veteran – yet he was detained when ICE questioned his legal identification because he “looked like an immigrant.”.

It should go without saying that government agents blindly questioning people within our nation who look a certain way so they could throw them out of the country is disgraceful. And now, the Trump administration says it plans to open a 30,000-bed concentration camp for migrants in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

We applaud the swift response by national labor and community advocates calling on President Trump to rescind this rule allowing ICE agents into our schools, hospitals and churches.

HPAE will be standing up for our healthcare workforce as they do their lifesaving work. We will stay informed about when and where ICE enters healthcare facilities and we stand ready to provide resources to our members, our patients and our communities.

Patients who come into our emergency rooms and hospitals, no matter who they are, are entitled to and will receive the healthcare that they need as well as the resources that they need to continue to stay healthy.

Our task as a healthcare union is simple. New Jersey hospitals are required to treat anyone regardless of immigration status. The healthcare facilities where HPAE members work invariably serve a very diverse patient base, including many immigrants.  Regardless of the harmful policies of this administration, we will continue to serve our communities and do what we do best.  We will promote the healing of the people living in this country.