Biden Administration Says It Won’t Conduct Immigration Arrests Near Vaccination Sites
TOPLINE
The Department of Homeland Security promised Monday to keep immigration agents away from coronavirus vaccination clinics, aiming to relieve some undocumented immigrants’ fears that getting vaccinated could put them in legal jeopardy, a notable shift from former President Donald Trump’s approach to enforcing immigration laws.
Hundreds of Alameda County workers lined up outside of St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, Calif. on Jan. … [+]
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KEY FACTS
In a statement, DHS said undocumented immigrants should have equal access to coronavirus vaccines, calling it a “moral and public health imperative.”
The agency promised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not carry out any enforcement activity near vaccine sites, including clinics the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to set up under President Joe Biden’s administration.
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DHS says it does not conduct immigration actions near hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities except “in the most extraordinary of circumstances,” a policy dating back to former President Barack Obama’s administration.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who needs a vaccine can get one, regardless of their immigration status,” DHS said in a statement.
KEY BACKGROUND
As Pfizer and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines are distributed nationwide, some advocates warn undocumented immigrants could be tough to reach. Many people who lack legal status worry that going to a vaccination clinic could leave them exposed to federal immigration authorities, or that personal data collected at those clinics could be used against them. Plus, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) said last month undocumented immigrants will receive lower priority for vaccines, though it’s unclear how he plans on enforcing this pledge since vaccination sites don’t ask for immigration status.
TANGENT
DHS’ pledge not to enforce immigration laws at vaccination clinics could signal a changing set of tactics for the agency under Biden. In a 2011 memo, ICE promised to steer clear of “sensitive locations” like schools, hospitals and places of worship except in unique circumstances. Trump officially kept this policy in place, but scattered anecdotes of immigrants getting arrested outside of schools and churches began to emerge, and ICE’s new strategy of mass raids and sweeping arrests caused advocates to warn about widespread fear in immigrant communities. Biden’s administration says it will rewrite ICE’s enforcement guidelines, backing away from a Trump-era policy of deeming all undocumented immigrants priorities for arrest.