Boston-area health care providers, advocates to brief legislators on the public health impact of immigration policies

BOSTON – One of the most troubling impacts of aggressive immigration enforcement since 2017 has been on public health. Not only have doctors seen anxiety and trauma affect their patients’ physical and emotional well-being, but they have seen more and more families forgo medical care and key programs out of fear. This is why many medical providers have stepped up as advocates for policies to protect immigrants in our Commonwealth.

This legislative briefing, sponsored by Rep. Ruth Balser, Rep. Liz Miranda, Sen. Jamie Eldridge, and members of the Massachusetts Safe Communities Coalition, will provide an opportunity for legislators to hear directly from health care providers and advocates on the front lines of this crisis. They will share the mounting challenges they face in caring for vulnerable immigrant families, children and domestic violence survivors – and discuss the implications for public health.

Speakers will include:

Fiona Danaher, MD, MPH, pediatrician, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Danaher divides her time between practicing primary care pediatrics at MGH Chelsea, and providing clinical consultation on cases of potential child abuse and neglect as a member of the MGHfC Child Protection Program. She is co-chair of the MGH Immigrant Health Coalition, and she volunteers with the MGH Asylum Clinic. She has published perspective pieces about immigrant health in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Boston Globe. She recently testified before Congress regarding the potential termination of the federal medical deferred action program.

Aisha James, MD, MS, internist and pediatrician, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. James practices primary care at MGH Everett Family Care Practice and is an instructor in medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She has a special interest in social medicine and physician advocacy, and is an active member of the MGH Social Justice & Advocacy Coalition and the MGH Asylum Clinic, among others. Outside of MGH, she is a member of the Massachusetts chapter of the American College of Physicians’ Governor’s council and co-chairs the Health & Public Policy Committee. She will speak about the impact of the current immigration climate on the patients in her practice.

Ana Cristina Luna, LICSW, Behavioral Health Director, NEW Health Charlestown
Ms. Luna is a clinical social worker whose career has focused on underserved and vulnerable communities and providing direct services to children and families. She has worked mainly with the Latinx population, and in her current role has advocated and collaborated with her health center to develop strategies to reduce barriers to health care access. She has a special interest in the intersection of trauma and immigration. She will discuss how deeply rooted barriers keep immigrants from using key resources and services, and the effects on the health and well-being of families and entire communities.

Maria Pizzimenti, Director of Advocacy, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence
Ms. Pizzimenti joined REACH as the Director of Advocacy in 2007 and oversees community programs in 27 cities and towns in the MetroWest region, including a bilingual advocacy program that provides safety planning, support and legal accompaniment to about 200 immigrant families per year, mainly immigrants from Central and South America. She will describe how fear of deportation leads many immigrant survivors to stay in abusive relationships and refrain reporting violence to the police.