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First, do no harm: why anti-immigrant policies in the United States are a public health concern

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Abstract

It can be argued that anti-immigrant policies, such as the 287(g) program, can have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the immigrant community in general, particularly undocumented immigrants in the United States. While there is yet to be a comprehensive and conclusive empirical assessment of this issue, what is known is that the immigrant community faces many stress factors and structural barriers that negatively impact health. We argue that it is urgent that public health responds to the unique experiences and challenges of the undocumented and wider immigrant community. In doing so, we propose three recommendations for addressing this issue: (1) Assess the causal relationship between anti-immigration policies and immigrant health, (2) Increase funding and access to health care services for immigrant communities in jurisdictions implementing anti-immigrant policies, and (3) For public health to engage in a conscious effort to service the undocumented immigrant community. Even though we focus specifically on the United States, our recommendations are applicable on a global scale since anti-immigration policies are prevalent across nations and are a pervasive human rights issue around the world.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    Lidia E. Nuño

  2. Division of Politics, Administration and Justice, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA

    Veronica M. Herrera

  3. California State University, Fullerton, 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, 92831, USA

    Benjamin S. Soto

Authors
  1. Lidia E. Nuño
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  2. Veronica M. Herrera
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  3. Benjamin S. Soto
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Correspondence to Lidia E. Nuño.

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Nuño, L.E., Herrera, V.M. & Soto, B.S. First, do no harm: why anti-immigrant policies in the United States are a public health concern. J Public Health Pol 43, 403–412 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-022-00364-8

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