In the wake of recent announcements that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials will conduct raids in 10 major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, CHA reminds members that a comprehensive toolkit is available to help them reassure their communities. The toolkit’s resources emphasize that hospitals remain a safe haven for those who need care, regardless of their immigration status.
Documents include talking points, a fact sheet, frequently asked questions, and other materials — all available in both English and Spanish. CHA also issued a media statement last week in response to the raid announcement. Though the raids were postponed on June 22, it is possible they could be reinstated in the coming weeks.
Since the toolkit was developed in 2017, a new state law was passed that prohibits California employers from consenting to an immigration officer’s request to enter a nonpublic area of a workplace, unless the officer has a judicial warrant. The employer may take the officer to a nonpublic area where employees are not present to verify whether the officer has a judicial warrant, provided that no consent to search the nonpublic area is given. In addition, employers may not allow an immigration officer to access, review, or obtain employment records without a subpoena or judicial warrant. Prohibitions on providing access to patient records are found in the linked materials.