USC Study Finds ICE Operations Led To Large Drop In Immigrant ER Visits

Overview

• The peer-reviewed analysis was published Oct. 5, 2026 in JAMA Network Open and used patient records from three Los Angeles safety-net hospitals.
• In the first four weeks after enforcement escalated in early June 2025, emergency department visits by people born outside the U.S. fell by more than 20% relative to U.S.-born patients.
• Those immigrant patients who did come to the ER were more likely to be admitted, with admission rates rising about 4.8 percentage points for Mexican-born patients, 5.1 points for Central and South American-born patients, and 2.5 points for Asian-born patients.
• Visits partially rebounded over the following months but remained roughly 10% below pre-enforcement levels by October 2025, and community clinics reported large increases in missed appointments.
• Local providers say renewed ICE activity has raised no-shows and prompted plans to restart outreach and telehealth programs because delayed care can worsen health and raise future costs.