For Immediate Release
Tricia Piper-Bennett
E: patricia@telegraphpr.com
M: (415) 914-5511
National Resident Physicians’ Union Condemns Recent White House Immigration Policy
Facing suspended entry, the Committee of Interns and Residents issues statement in defense of our immigrant communities
New York, NY — Last month, the Trump Administration suspended the entry of immigrants to the United States for 60 days in response to the plummeting labor market during COVID-19, and secondarily to prevent placing strain on our healthcare systems.
The Executive Officers of the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU (CIR) see this latest act as yet another ploy to perpetuate the “othering” of an already vulnerable and targeted population in an effort to deflect attention from this administration’s failure to effectively respond to the current economic and public health crises.
Representing over 17,000 interns, resident physicians and fellows across the country, CIR leadership has unapologetically asserted that barring immigrants from entering the country in no way protects our healthcare system, but rather undermines our ability to provide safe and effective patient care.
CIR doctors believe that all patients should be treated with dignity and respect, and deserve access to quality healthcare regardless of where they come from. However, this anti-immigrant policy can instead limit patients’ ability to seek care and foster more distrust of the medical system.
Though foreign-born medical professionals have not been impacted by this particular policy, this Administration should remember that many healthcare professionals on the frontlines of COVID-19, including many CIR resident physicians, made great sacrifices when emigrating to the United States to serve our patients and our communities.
As the national voice of residents, CIR is committed to ensuring the safety of doctors on the frontlines and the communities served. As discussions circulate around a second wave of COVID-19, the Trump Administration must not prolong fear-mongering of an already isolated immigrant community, but focus on using every means available to ensure that all essential workers, including resident physicians, have adequate personal protective equipment required to stop the spread of this novel virus.
The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) is the largest housestaff union in the United States. A local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing over 17,000 resident physicians and fellows. Our members are dedicated to improving residency training and education, advancing patient care and expanding healthcare access for our communities.
