California Attorney General Xavier Becerra recently issued guidance and model policies to ensure that public facilities across the state remain accessible to all residents, regardless of immigration status. Pursuant to SB 54, the California Values Act, the Attorney General developed the guidance documents to advise public facilities–including health care facilities, schools, courthouses, and shelters–on how to appropriately respond to immigration enforcement actions and requests for information at those facilities.
The guidance document for health care facilities, entitled “Promoting Safe and Secure Healthcare Access for All“:
- “Outlines relevant federal and state laws for the benefit of patients, healthcare facility administrators, doctors, nurses, families, and other facility staff and health professionals (including relevant volunteers);
- Provides policy recommendations that comply with federal and state laws, and that may mitigate disruptions from immigration enforcement actions at healthcare facilities; and
- Promulgates model policies that must be adopted and implemented (unless equivalent policies are adopted and implemented) by all healthcare facilities operated by the State or a political subdivision of the State, and that all other related organizations and entities are encouraged to adopt.”
Read the press release here.