I used to pay attention to the health of my patients. Now with ICE, I worry about their safety
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This first-person column is written by Justin Ho, a Canadian dental student living in Minneapolis. For more information about first person stories, see FAQ.
I was walking through the corridors of a dental clinic with my patient – ​​a five-year-old boy and his mother – so that we could get X-rays that would help make a dental treatment plan for him. To the little boy, I could see that this was a fun adventure, but his mother’s face told a different story. As calm as her face was, her words as we waited showed how nervous she was.
“Every time we go out, I worry that if we’re stopped, I’ll never see him again.”
My heart sank.
Unfortunately, this is something I’m hearing more often in Minnesota. Like the mother and her son, many of the patients at the community clinic where I work in Minneapolis are racialized. Although this is not a tracked figure, it is likely that many documents also remain undocumented.
health care politics
As a dental student from Canada while I was studying in the US I was only two weeks into my new placement Renee Nicole Good was shot by a US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) agent Just a few kilometers away. Then, last week, ICU nurse Alex Pretty killed in another shooting by federal officers.
US government officials say ICE agents shot Alex Pretti at a protest in Minneapolis because he had a gun and was ‘a would-be killer,’ according to Stephen Miller, US President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser. Andrew Chang breaks down multiple video angles of the shooting moment by moment to get a better sense of how accurate the government’s initial account is. Images provided by The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images
As a future dentist, I have been taught to diagnose and treat oral diseases. Now I’m realizing it’s not that simple – patient care is more than just taking care of their health.
In the six years that I’ve lived here, Minneapolis has moved from a quiet Midwestern city to a global focal point of political trauma. I moved here from Vancouver shortly after murder of george floyd. As a student at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, I witnessed firsthand the overwhelming silence and shock that followed his death. High-profile political assassinations And one local heartbreak after another Shooter opened fire on children in a church. Now, a targeted federal immigration crackdown has unleashed a new wave of fear among my neighbors.
Unfortunately these news headlines are much more than a backdrop to my daily life; They have changed the community I call home.
The past few weeks have brought politics straight into my workplace. The increase in federal officers in the Twin Cities has become a significant community disruption that negatively impacts health care.
Our clinic is usually very busy. It was normal to see approximately 120 scheduled patients per day, with an additional 10 to 15 walk-in patients. My dental assistant used to tell stories of the days when student providers like me would typically see eight patients in a light day. However, with the start of ICE activities in January, our patient volume has decreased.
During my rotation, I and my fellow students would be lucky to see four patients a day. The director of our dental division told me that the number of patients has not declined so much in recent years due to any event other than the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, instead of managing a full schedule, my colleagues and I wait for patients who are too afraid to leave their homes until the pain of an infected tooth or a swollen face becomes unbearable.
As a provider, I find it exhausting to advocate for public health when the act of seeking care puts my patients at risk for federal detention.
This doesn’t just affect the patients. Many people in the health care team, including myself, experience racial discrimination. ICE agents are now being seen outside our clinics and in our neighborhoods, anyone who can work from home is doing so. who must be in the clinic We have resorted to walking together to the parking garage to avoid personal confrontation with ICE agents and ensure our safety. My international classmates and I have started carrying our passports with us in case we encounter federal authorities.
earlier this month, Our clinic was evacuated due to bomb threat.
I wasn’t at work when it happened but I was extremely worried about my coworkers and patients and I felt like there wasn’t much I could do to help. It becomes extremely difficult to focus on my education and provide the care my patients need when I have to worry about my own well-being and safety.
What I’ve learned about community
As a Canadian person living in the most politically unstable city in America right now, it puts into perspective what it really means to be an immigrant. it makes me angry. Why do some of the population I am sworn to serve and heal feel the need to almost criminalize my identity – whether it be my nationality, the color of my skin or my ethnic background?
However, I also know that many Americans do not share the same sentiments as their leader. Many people have apologized to me for comments made towards members of racialized communities like me. Whenever I mention my nationality, they welcome me with open hearts and minds and encourage me to proudly display my ties to Canada. Communities of diverse ethnic backgrounds have made Minnesota their home, and its diversity is what makes Minneapolis rich.
In many ways, the people of Minnesota have given me the right to be proud of my identity and my nationality. What makes this state special is seeing the resilience of this community. Minnesotans have had to endure a lot in the past year, yet every day, they rise to the occasion in the face of immense pressure and prove that there is still a voice of reason. They are willing to fight for equality, fairness, and acceptance for their neighbors.
In many ways, the people of Minnesota demonstrate the same values ​​that have been instilled in me as a Canadian. As a country made up of immigrants, we can learn a lot from how Minnesotans have stood up for each other in an ever-changing world.
As a health care worker, I will continue to advocate for what is best for the well-being of my patients. As an immigrant, I will continue to advocate for acceptance of my neighbors regardless of differences. As a Canadian, I will continue to promote what I believe to be Canada: a country of reason, acceptance and, most importantly, a place for you.
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