The survey shows that immigrants in Florida-nawet US citizens are looking for healthcare after adopting anti-immigrant provisions

Since the arrival in the United States four years ago, Alex worked in the primary care office. He witnessed how hard it was to access preventive care.

When he heard about implementation Bill Senate in Florida 1718Alex was afraid that this would have terrible consequences for the patients he served.

Alex is a nickname of one of our research subjects.

SB 1718Signed by Governor Ron Desantis in May 2023, he imposed broad restrictions aimed at discouraging unauthorized immigration. He requires hospitals that accept MEDICID funds to question patients with their immigration status and share data on the number of immigrants that serve in this state.

The law had several more provisions. Ordered e-verification, Employment qualification systememploy novel employees in companies employing over 25 employees. He also criminalized the ride to Florida with unauthorized immigrant and restricted social organizations from issuing identity identity.

After adopting the law, Alex told his patients that they could refuse to disclose their legal status when he was asked about hospital forms. But he says that his assurances did not work. He watched how many immigrant patients hesitated to access the necessary medical care for themselves and their children – and even left the state.

Alex had legal documentation in this country, but when his immigrant community shrunk, he wondered if he should also leave Florida.

We are a group Social sciences professors and doctoral students Studying the immigrant community in Florida. We believe that the SB 1718 has critical implications for immigrants, for Florids and all Americans – especially in the case of the country rapid explosions of infectious diseases such as measles and flu.

The environment of fear

These fears are based on our survey regarding 466 immigrants on Florida and adult children of immigrants from May to July 2024.

Almost two-thirds of non-use citizens and a third of US citizens Who replied to our survey, said that they hesitated to look for medical care in the year after the adoption of SB 1718.

“I was very unwell recently and needed medical care, but I was afraid,” one of the survey participants told us.

Although hospitals cannot deny care based on the patient’s immigration status, our data show anticipating that they would be asked to stop Not only immigrants devoid of constant legal status, but also those with legal status, including US citizens, from seeking care.

We believe that US citizens are influenced by the effects of spilling because they are members of the family of mixed status.

Our survey took place during the intensive season of the presidential election in 2024, when Anti -immigrant rhetoric He was common. Immigrants also reported that they were experiencing discrimination in their daily lives, and these experiences were also associated with reluctance to access health care.

Rights like SB 1718 strengthen existing racial and structural unevenness. Structural inequalities are system barriers in institutions – such as healthcare and employment – which limit access to basic resources based on breed, legal or economic status.

Such rights discourage immigrants Use of health resources. Support the exclusion of the environmental policy environment increases the fears of enforcementIt limits access to the necessary services and worsens economic and social weaknesses. In addition, restrictive immigration policies Exclude people from access to services based on their race. Immigrants who have been discriminated against in everyday conditions can internalize the expectation that the search for care will cause further hostility – and even danger.

Consequences for public health

The US history has many examples of racial and ethnic barriers in healthcare. Examples include Hospitals from segregation reverse black patients . It also includes system restrictions Access to healthcare for non -English peopleincluding inappropriate language assistance services, relying on non -discalled translators and a lack of competent cultural care.

President Donald Trump New executive orders Playing in January 2025 was signed due to further exclusion of some communities. For example Ordering the end of federal diversity, justice and inclusion Programs break efforts to solve racial discrepancies in public institutions. New restrictions on research financed by federally on the theme of breed and equity It can make it hard to study and solve these differences.

Proponents of civil rights believe that these funds represent systemic withdrawal of diversity rights and practices that generations fought for security and can speed up National change towards exclusion based on the breed under the guise of enforcing immigration law.

The results of our survey in Florida can be a warning sign for the rest of the country. Hesitation in healthcare, as we have documented, can boost the likelihood delayed treatmentIN undiagnosed conditions AND deterioration of health differences among the whole community.

These legal restrictions will probably boost dissemination of infectious diseases AND Healthcare systemsIncreasing costs and increasing the burden of emergency services and public health infrastructure.