Immigrants, Refugees Too Afraid to Seek Lifesaving Services

The Boston Globe reported that across Massachusetts, many immigrants and refugees are too frightened by President Trump’s hard line on immigration to step forward for the most basic and critical of services, according to doctors, immigration lawyers, and advocacy groups. This fear among refugee and immigrant communities is unprecedented. As the Globe noted:

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice has noticed the same pattern through its close collaborative work with the Massachusetts General Hospital Chelsea HealthCare Center:

“If an individual comes to the clinic reporting their child has been exposed to lead paint and we find out that the family continues to live in an apartment where lead is present, that’s where we would intervene legally,” Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal said. “We help immigrant families with children who are vulnerable, and if these individuals are not coming in for treatment and medical care, then those families cannot be referred to the lawyers.” He said his organization is trying to come up with legal strategies for health centers struggling to reassure patients.

The full article is available at: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/04/26/immigrants-refugees-too-afraid-seek-critical-help-from-food-pantries-domestic-violence-resources/JrOJqOrYtHYeedLid9I69N/story.html