Undocumented Injustice? Medical Repatriation and the Ends of Health Care

Abstract

The authors review the history and motivations behind medical repatriation, the transfer of undocumented patients in need of subacute care to their country of origin. They argue that involuntary medical repatriation violates the ethical duties of health care providers.

Fear of Immigration Enforcement Among Older Latino Immigrants in the United States

“…After hundreds of such cases were reported, in 2014, The New England Journal of Medicine published an article, “Undocumented Injustice? Medical Repatriations and the End of Health Care,” to examine a new ethical problem in immigrant health care (Young & Lehmann, 2014). This collective research supports our findings and argument that migrants encounter health risks and restrictions within the context of policy enforcement, including through actions undertaken by health care agencies not charged with enforcement.…”

Ethical issues in the access to emergency care for undocumented immigrants

“…These commentators also acknowledge, however, that responsibility for the cost of ongoing medical care for UI patients should be assumed by governmental agencies rather than individual health systems or health care professionals. 41,42 Other commentators argue that medical repatriation can be morally justifiable in at least some circumstances. 43,44 Despite growing attention and criticism, this practice remains unregulated in the United States.…”

“…43,44 Despite growing attention and criticism, this practice remains unregulated in the United States. 44,42 The practice of medical repatriation can vary along a spectrum of options, and moral evaluation of the practice at the opposite ends of that spectrum is reasonably obvious. At one end, a hospital might forcibly transport an unwilling immigrant patient out of the country despite the absence of adequate medical care at the destination.…”

Salud de migrantes internacionales en situación irregular: una revisión narrativa de iniciativas

“…Una de las iniciativas está dirigida a la población migrante «en tránsito», la cual corresponde a las unidades de trauma, búsqueda y rescate de Arizona, que brindan atención médica de emergencia en zonas de tránsito (24) . Autoridad sanitaria ------G: Geográfica; A: Administrativa; F: Financiera; CC: Competencia cultural; CM: Control migratorio reembolso al tratamiento de los MISI, bajo argumentos como la integridad financiera del hospital y la continuidad de atención (35) . Otra iniciativa es una estrategia binacional de protección de mexicanos en Estados Unidos para aumentar la accesibilidad a los servicios, la cual es apoyada por actores gubernamentales y no gubernamentales, pero que, presenta barreras como la escasa disponibilidad de servicios en el país receptor, la accesibilidad administrativa a servicios públicos y el desincentivo a la búsqueda de servicios en el país de origen por el riesgo de la deportación (22,36) .…”