OVERVIEW
Hospitals and health centers are protected areas. To better support our patients and their communities, we should establish policies to make our institutions safer.
This page aims to equip healthcare providers and organizations with tools to:
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Understand what Sanctuary City designation means
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Develop clear policies to respond to potential ICE visits in protected areas (such as hospitals/clinics)
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Establish a task force within your institution to prepare for such scenarios, using an approach similar to emergency preparedness planning.
Although federal guidance discourages ICE enforcement activities at hospitals and health centers to ensure individuals can seek care without fear, ICE retains discretion to enter protected areas under certain conditions. This page has more information about protected areas (formerly known as "sensitive locations").
To safeguard patients, it is essential to:
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Develop explicit policies and protocols for responding to ICE visits, ensuring clarity and minimizing confusion.
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Disseminate these policies widely to staff, providers, and patients.
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Provide comprehensive training for staff on how to implement these protocols effectively.
Policies must be clear, transparent, and well-communicated to both staff and the broader community to ensure safety and uphold trust.
An overall resource is the CA Attorney General's "Promoting Safe and Secure Healthcare Access for All - Guidance and Model Policies to Assist California’s Healthcare Facilities in Responding to Immigration Issues" updated in December 2024. This guide supports implementation of the California Legislature’s decision to limit state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities and is intended to help California healthcare facility officials form practical plans to protect the rights of patients and their families. It outlines federal and state laws, provides policy recommendations, and shares model policies that must be adopted by all CA healthcare facilities. The AG's office has similar guides for higher education, shelters, K-12 schools, libraries and more available on their website.
Making Healthcare Safer
TOOLKIT
