Florida’s CS/CS/SB 1718 legislation requires hospitals to ask for patients' immigration status, potentially deterring immigrant families from seeking medical care. This project will investigate how such policies, driven by immigration enforcement priorities, impact the healthcare behaviors and well-being of mixed-status families in Florida. Researchers aim to capture the complex ways fear of deportation influences decisions around both emergency and preventative care, particularly for undocumented parents and their U.S.-born children. The findings will inform a broader understanding of how policy-driven fear can ripple through immigrant communities and affect public health.
Research Questions
- How do deportation fears impact healthcare access for mixed-status families?
- What coping mechanisms do families use to navigate healthcare needs under these policies?
- How does fear of immigration enforcement impact U.S.-born children of undocumented parents?
This research seeks to guide policymakers in crafting immigration and healthcare policies that safeguard community health while addressing the unique needs of immigrant families.