A 54-year-old woman from Edinburg holds her hands as she poses for a photo at her home in the Rio Grande Valley on March 18, 2026. After suffering a bad fall in October, she refused to go to the hospital over fears she could be deported.

‘Don’t take me to the hospital’: Undocumented immigrants in Texas are delaying medical care

Since Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas hospitals to start asking patients for their citizenship status in November 2024, reported visits by undocumented immigrants have dropped.

by Colleen DeGuzman, Stephen Simpson, Terry Langford and Dan Keemahill, The Texas Tribune March 30, 2026March 30, 2026

Since Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas hospitals to start asking patients for their citizenship status in November 2024, reported visits by undocumented immigrants have dropped.

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‘Don’t take me to the hospital’: Undocumented immigrants in Texas are delaying medical care