DANVILLE, Pennsylvania — Immigration enforcement near hospitals and medical facilities in Pennsylvania is raising concerns that immigrants may delay or avoid healthcare because they fear arrest, according to advocates and medical professionals.
Earlier this month, ICE and local police arrested construction workers near Geisinger Medical Center in Danville after they left work. Officials emphasized that no arrests occurred on hospital property, but witnesses reported seeing unmarked vehicles around the medical complex before the Sept. 2 operation. ICE says it arrested 10 people that day, while advocates and witnesses say the broader operation may have resulted in more than 40 arrests.
The concern extends beyond Pennsylvania. Doctors interviewed by Stateline said increased immigration enforcement has caused some families to skip appointments, delay treatment and avoid hospitals altogether, with some children developing more serious medical problems as a result.
The Trump administration eliminated a longstanding policy in January 2025 that generally restricted immigration enforcement in or near hospitals, schools and houses of worship. ICE says immigration status, not location, determines who is subject to enforcement.
Immigrant advocates argue that even when arrests occur off hospital grounds, visible enforcement nearby can create a chilling effect. Mirna Miranda of CASA said some immigrants now weigh the risk of detention against seeking medical treatment.
The Geisinger operation follows another Pennsylvania case in which ICE arrested 24 construction workers traveling to a worksite at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
Sources
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