New York Immigration Coalition, Inc.

Under the current administration, New Yorkers face the rollback of core health care protections in the face of potentially massive federal changes to health care financing, publicly financed health insurance, and a wide range of public benefits.

Arguably no population in New York State is more vulnerable to losing ground than our immigrant communities, especially those who are undocumented. Recent events and threats have created a climate of fear and mistrust within immigrant communities, which is affecting their ability to access—and level of comfort with accessing—health insurance coverage and care. In 2017, NYHealth awarded the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) a grant to support immigrant health care access during these uncertain times.

To address the impact of recent and pending federal policies on health care access and coverage for New York-based immigrants and their families, NYIC monitored policy changes in real time, analyzed their impact, and disseminated findings to its 175 member organizations, City and State officials, and health care providers to support coordinated and effective measures to preserve health care access for immigrants. NYIC produced a white paper based on the impact of immigration enforcement on health care utilization through story collection and interviews with key health care and service providers. The white paper summarized key findings and recommendations from the interviews, data, and community trainings, and included observations about what changes at the federal level might mean for New York City and State. NYIC will convened stakeholders, members, and affected individuals to respond to the mental health crisis of increased anxiety and stress related to immigration enforcement. It disseminated the white paper and other products from this work.