Immigration Detention Centers: A Public Health Threat? 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9
PROGRAM #10983 12:00 PM PT

Immigration Detention Centers: A Public Health Threat? 

The rapid expansion of immigrant detention centers in California’s San Joaquin Valley is fueling an alarming public health crisis. Reports show that families and communities impacted by detention are facing severe environmental stresses and widespread psychological harm. How much further will the detention industry grow? How severe is the damage to community well-being? What are public health experts saying?

Guests: Lourdes Medina, Communications Organizer, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network-SIREN, Fresno, CA; Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, Executive Director, Central Valley Health Policy Institute, California State University at Fresno, Fresno, CA; Daniela Rodriguez, Reporter at Radio Bilingüe, UC Berkeley Fellow, Fresno, CA.

Court Orders ICE to Follow the Law. A federal judge has issued an injunction prohibiting ICE from carrying out warrantless arrests in Colorado, following a lawsuit accusing the agency of detaining people arbitrarily and merely to meet quotas set by their higher ups. What precedent does this ruling establish? What rights do immigrants in Colorado have? How can communities benefit from this decision?

Guest: Hans Meyer, Immigration Attorney, The Meyer Law Office, Denver, CO.

Know Your Rights: ICE in Hospitals. The presence of immigration agents in hospitals has raised fear and confusion, but the law draws clear boundaries. While agents may stand in public areas or accompany patients already in custody, they must comply with constitutional protections and medical privacy rules. Every patient—regardless of immigration status—has the right to request private conversations with health providers and confidential access to legal counsel. What are these protections, and how can patients assert them during a federal intervention?

Guests: Claudia Boyd-Barrett, Southern California Correspondent, KFF Health News, Ventura, CA; Alma Rosa Nieto, Immigration Attorney, Los Angeles, CA.

Photo: Thomas CizauskasFlickr

For more information about Linea Abierta and to find previous shows visit our  Linea Abierta