MEDICAL STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS: If you would like to co-sign the petition, please fill out this google form  

In 2021, Secretary Mayorkas revised the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) guidelines to limit enforcement actions in or near protected areas. This revision was designed to ensure that immigrant families could access essential services, such as healthcare, education, and religious support, without the fear of deportation or interference from ICE. The policy aimed to preserve the safety and well-being of vulnerable communities, allowing them to engage in daily life and necessary activities with greater peace of mind.

However, as of January 21, 2025, the current administration, under Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Benjamin Huffman, rescinded the “Sensitive Areas” policy. This reversal allows ICE to conduct operations in locations such as schools, places of worship, and healthcare facilities—spaces that should remain safe from immigration enforcement. The impact of this change is profound, as it undermines the trust and safety these communities need to access essential services and support.

The new policy threatens to have wide-ranging negative effects on immigrants—both documented and undocumented—as well as the healthcare community, children, families, and working adults. There are 733,000 undocumented school-aged children who will face heightened risks under these changes. ICE raids cause immense distress, leading to PTSD and long-term health issues. Schools must remain safe spaces for all children.

The AMA reports that 200 undocumented medical students and residents, along with 27,000 DACA recipients employed in healthcare, are directly impacted by these raids. These individuals are not just patients, but colleagues and allies in the healthcare field who would be targeted by such policies.

As healthcare providers, we have an ethical duty to care for our patients and our colleagues. Therefore, we are calling on medical students, residents physicians, and healthcare professionals across the country to stand in solidarity with immigrant communities. We will compile the names of all signers and deliver this petition to the American Medical Association (AMA), the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). We urge these organizations and accrediting bodies to take action and advocate for the reinstatement of the Sensitive Areas Policy.

In solidarity,

Latino Medical Student Association National

Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association National

National Hispanic Medical Association