Immigration enforcement by the Trump administration is having a profound impact on public health, instilling fear and uncertainty in patients, families and health care providers leading to worsening health care outcomes, an increased risk of preterm births and decreased access to health services during pregnancy, childbirth, the neonatal period and childhood.^1,2  

Stories from around the country document the new reality.

In Minneapolis, nurses, doctors and health care workers report crisis conditions brought on by the Trump administration’s cruel immigration crackdown.³

In Illinois, Susan Kressly, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Michelle Barnes, President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics report that some parents are so scared federal agents may take them away from their children, they’ve skipped being at their ailing children’s bedsides in their final moments.⁴

In Chicago, Nayra Guzmán was arrested 15 days after her daughter’s birth and held in detention at a notorious, unsanitary, overcrowded camp while recovering from a cesarean section. She was prevented from visiting and providing breast milk for her daughter hospitalized in the NICU.⁵

In Louisiana, a volunteer for Saul’s Light, a non-profit supporting NICU families, reports that due to ICE and Border Patrol sweeps, mothers who have recently given birth to infants requiring NICU care must choose between sheltering at home and risking detention when visiting the NICU. ⁶

A recent podcast on the Incubator Channel ^7,8 examines the intersection between immigration policy and neonatal care, highlighting the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act ⁹ and the critical role NICU professionals can play in advocating for safe access to healthcare for all families. Please watch it!

Immigration policy is a social determinant of health.¹   The recommendations and valuable resources included in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Statement, Advocating for Safe and Equitable Obstetric and Gynecologic Care for Immigrants, apply to neonatology as well.²   As clinicians we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about the impacts of current immigration policies and to advocate for safe access to healthcare for all families.  Please review the ACOG recommendations and resources and follow through for the infants and families we serve.¹⁰

1. Arguello Belli M. Health Consequences of Immigration Enforcement in U.S. Communities. N Engl J Med. 2026 Feb 11. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2516715. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41671479.
2. Advocating for Safe and Equitable Obstetric and Gynecologic Care for Immigrants. Obstet Gynecol. 2026 Feb 3. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000006213. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41632972. https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/fulltext/9900/advocating_for_safe_and_equitable_obstetric_and.1445.aspx
3. Ulloa J. (2026, Jan 19) Inside Minnesota Hospitals, ICE Agents Unnerve Staff. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/us/minnesota-hospitals-ice-agents.html?searchResultPosition=1
4. Kressly S, Barnes M (2025, Nov 19). Immigration raids are taking toll on children’s health. Chicago Sun Times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2025/11/19/immigration-raids-childrens-health-susan-kressly-michelle-barnes
5. Barclay ML. (2025, Dec 8) A Cicero woman’s baby was in the NICU. She was in ICE detention. Chicago Sun Times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2025/12/08/cicero-mother-baby-nicu-ice-detention-trump-broadview-postpartum-immigration-deportation-campaign
6. Rosenblatt S. (2026, Feb 13). Guest Column: Fear is keeping NICU parents away. And babies are paying the price. NOLA. https://www.nola.com/opinions/guest_columns/guest-column-fear-is-keeping-nicu-parents-away-and-babies-are-paying-the-price/article_0a6b9f9b-e2f0-481e-b24c-d37f84b711f5.html
7. Neo News – Does Immigration Enforcement Impact Family Presence in the NICU? The Incubator Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_d2bJsxhEs
8. Vernon L, Swenson S, Miller E. Immigration policies are creating impossible choices for NICU families. cleveland.com. https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2025/10/immigration-policies-are-creating-impossible-choices-for-nicu-families-lelis-vernon-sarah-swenson-and-emily-miller.html.
9. Factsheet: Trump’s Rescission of Protected Areas Policies Undermines Safety for All. National Immigration Law Center. https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Protected-Areas-Policies-Undermines-Safety-for-All-.pdf
10. Horbar JD, Edwards EM, Ogbolu Y. Our Responsibility to Follow Through for NICU Infants and Their Families. Pediatrics. 2020 Dec;146(6):e20200360. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0360. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 32546582.