The Trump Administration recently announced plans to increase enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and accelerate deportations of undocumented individuals. The five medical centers of the University of California join other public safety-net hospitals in opposing these harmful actions.
As outlined in the University of California Statement of Principles, UC's police departments and security personnel will refrain from joining any efforts to investigate, detain or arrest individuals for violation of federal immigration law.
"We believe that patients and their families should be able to visit the hospital without fear," said John Stobo, MD, executive vice president of UC Health. "The University's medical centers will continue to treat all patients who require our services without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion or citizenship."
“These types of policy decisions not only stoke fears among vulnerable populations but also violate the trust and safety that all people are entitled to when seeking medical care. Public health is threatened whenever portions of our communities avoid seeking medical care out of a fear of possible law enforcement actions,” added Stobo.
The University of California operates five academic medical centers across the state, serving 375,000 patients in its Emergency Departments, admitting approximately 175,000 patients annually and providing nearly 5 million outpatient visits.