Reference News Network, December 8 report: According to the Spanish website "El Confidencial," for months, Adelina (a pseudonym used to protect her identity) has been living in constant anxiety. Every morning, she carefully pulls back the curtain and watches the street outside. In her community, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) patrol units appear almost daily. Since Trump returned to the White House, ICE's intensified crackdown on immigrants has made it possible for arrests to happen at any time on the streets.

This enforcement force arbitrarily arrests people based on the most brutal methods and even a mere suspicion that someone might be an undocumented immigrant. If ICE believes the arrested person may have committed a crime, the entire arrest process becomes more severe. The White House justifies this as a way to combat crime and curb the rising crime rate on American streets, while Trump directly links the rise in crime rates to immigration issues. However, critics argue that this is a "punishment" measure against Democratic-led states, aimed at "advancing an authoritarian agenda," while creating fear among immigrant communities to prevent more immigrants from entering the United States.

The escalating raids have forced many immigrants to stay indoors. A shadow of fear looms over them, and many are even too afraid to go to the hospital, including for their children's medical care. A survey conducted by the Physicians for Human Rights organization between March and August this year, involving 691 health professionals from 30 U.S. states, confirmed this phenomenon. The survey results showed that a large number of immigrant patients no longer visit clinics, with the most affected areas being primary healthcare, chronic disease management, and mental health services.

Among those surveyed, 84% said that since the raids began, there had been a significant or slight decrease in the number of immigrant patients visiting. More than a quarter of healthcare workers said that the increased immigration enforcement directly affected the quality of medical services they could provide.

Eva Galvez, a family doctor at the Virginia Garcia Community Clinic in Oregon, is one of the firsthand witnesses. During an interview with "El Confidencial," she said that nearly 70% of her patients are Latinos, many of whom do not have legal immigration status. She said, "Since this administration took office, my patients have started telling me they are very afraid to come to the clinic or the hospital."

Galvez said that although they were scared, the patients initially continued to seek medical care. However, in the past month, as enforcement actions have become increasingly brazen, with ICE officers frequently appearing around the clinic, the situation has reached a point where it can no longer be sustained.

Galvez revealed that she receives calls every day from patients who would rather not go out and just ask the doctor to help renew their medication. "Some patients say that coming to see a doctor is a last resort now, and they are even afraid to go to church or go shopping," she said. Some patients have completely disappeared.

This trend is beginning to affect the health of the entire immigrant community. Many patients' previously well-controlled chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are now recurring, and vaccine shots and essential child checkups are being postponed again and again. "Many parents have asked me to delay their children's vaccination schedules because they really don't want to come to the clinic," Galvez said worriedly. "This could turn into a public health crisis."

Cancer treatment and preventive screenings also face the same dilemma. Galvez pointed out that some patients, fearing possible arrests at any moment, have given up treatment, which will inevitably worsen their condition and further deteriorate their health.

The U.S. government has also deployed border patrol units known for their militaristic style to lead more enforcement operations.

The timing and location of the raids are unpredictable. Schools, parks, churches, stadiums, and even areas around medical facilities could become enforcement sites. So far, the only relatively safe place seems to be the immigrants' own homes. Although ICE has no authority to enter hospital areas, some medical institutions have developed procedures to deal with such emergencies. Virginia Garcia Community Clinic is one of them.

Dr. Galvez admitted, "To keep a person healthy and effectively control chronic diseases, it is necessary for them to trust their doctor and the entire healthcare system. I believe this trust is slowly breaking down." (Translated by Han Chao)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7581350164720321039/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author."