In the Upstate of SC, there are often times when people feel afraid to seek medical care due to fear of being mistreated or even abducted by the government, without warrants and without cause. This applies the most to local immigrants in the Hispanic, Latino and Indigenous communities who come from places like Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Central America, South America and Mexico. Now, more than ever, I.C.E. has been abducting people from these communities without warrants nor probable cause, and with an emphasis on racial profiling. People in need of medical care who cannot seek it, or who do not seek it due to fear of abduction, are especially vulnerable to suffering and even death from life-threatening medical conditions.

Prisma Health is one of the most wealthy and prevalent Medical Organizations in the upstate of South Carolina. 

In this letter, we are seeking to:

1.Address the concerns of upstate SC residents regarding ICE raids and abductions.
2. Learn what policies, if any, Prisma Health has implemented to protect the human right to seek medical care as pertaining to ICE raids and abductions. 
3. Learn how Prisma Health will operate in the near future with regard to ICE raids and abductions.

4. Establish a call to action to protect people in the upstate from ICE, and to preserve the peoples’ rights to seek medical attention. 

By signing this petition, you are also signing the following letter as a concerned resident and/or or citizen of Upstate South Carolina. 

The Letter is as Follows: 

To Prisma Health, and its affiliated hospitals, offices and Medical Centers:

We, the people signed at the end of this letter are writing to inquire as to what Prisma Health’s current policies and protocols are in the event of an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raid at your facilities. We are also inquiring as to your policies with regard to any and all interactions between Prisma Health and ICE. 

 

Many people in Upstate South Carolina, including families and children, are afraid to visit public spaces—such as hospitals, theme parks, shopping centers, and transportation hubs—because of the risk of being harassed by immigration enforcement, and even ICE impersonators. We believe that as a prevalent and powerful organization whose primary objectives involve caring for and assisting people in need of health care, Prisma Health has a responsibility to keep ICE out and to protect the people who rely on Prisma Health’s often life-saving services.

 

We kindly ask that Prisma Health please answer the following questions:

• Does Prisma Health allow ICE agents on Prisma Health property without a judicial warrant?

• Does Prisma Health train its staff on how to respond to ICE or people acting as ICE?

• Has Prisma Health taken steps to prevent ICE from entering or operating within its facilities?

• What protections are in place for your patients if ICE arrives at any Prisma Health facility?

 

We are kindly asking for a prompt response to this request. We believe that the community of Upstate SC deserves to know whether Prisma Health and its affiliates are safe to use, or not. 

 

We would like to kindly remind you that Prisma Health has the power to shield people from harassment, detention, and fear, and we hope that you will. 

 

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Sincerely,