Doctors say children of immigrants are missing healthcare

A survey of more than 1,600 pediatricians by the American Academy of Pediatrics found 40% reported immigrant families avoiding medical care for their children over the past year due to immigration status concerns, with 31% reporting avoidance of programs like Medicaid or food stamps and 21% reporting kids kept home from school. The academy says the numbers likely undercount the real retreat from care.

The Trump administration rescinded rules in early 2025 that had generally kept immigration agents out of hospitals, clinics, and schools, and a new federal policy taking effect this week lets immigration officers weigh enrollment in benefits like Medicaid or housing assistance against green card and visa applicants as a 'public charge.' Urban and subspecialty pediatricians reported the steepest drop-offs, with nearly half seeing families pull back from care.

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