Do States’ Immigrant-Friendly Policies Improve the Health of Children of Immigrants?
Sanctuary policies, or limiting state/local law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement efforts, and issuance of drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants improved preventive health outcomes among children of immigrants. Where these policies are in place children, especially Latino children, living with non-citizen, immigrant parents were more likely to have have a usual source-of-care provider and receive preventive dental care. These children were also much less likely to have unmet medical needs. This effect held regardless of whether the children were U.S. citizens.