Healthcare Without Fear Act aims to protect patients from immigration enforcement in Oregon hospitals
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon lawmakers heard emotional testimony this week from nurses, healthcare advocates and community members supporting the Healthcare Without Fear Act — a proposal that would limit the presence of federal immigration officers inside hospitals and clinics.
Senate Bill 1570, introduced as part of the 2026 Immigrant Justice Package, seeks to hold federal agents to the same standards as state and local law enforcement while ensuring patients and providers are protected from intimidation or interference during medical care.
Healthcare workers say immigration enforcement in medical spaces puts lives at risk and discourages people from seeking help.
“We are here today because federal agents are interfering with our ability to care for our patients. They are putting community safety at risk,” said Ellie, a Portland nurse and member of the Oregon Nurses Association who testified in support of the bill. “We want to ensure that healthcare spaces are safe for our patients and staff. Places where human and civil rights are valued and protected.”
Cristian Mendoza-Ruvalcaba, a nurse practitioner from Medford, told lawmakers that hospitals should never be places of fear.
“Health care facilities should be places of healing and trust, not fear or intimidation,” Mendoza-Ruvalcaba testified. “Hospitals exist to provide care, not to serve as sites of immigration enforcement.”
Lawmakers behind the bill cite reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agents entering Oregon hospitals without warrants, pressuring medical staff, and removing patients against medical advice. Supporters say incidents like these have created fear in immigrant communities and undermined public health.
Under the proposed law, federal immigration officers would be barred from entering patient care areas without a warrant. The measure would also classify immigration status and birthplace as protected health information, bolstering patient privacy rights under state law.
Oregon Senator Wlnsvey Campos, a chief sponsor of the bill, said the current climate demands clear protections. “SB 1570 is about a simple but fundamental principle: no one should be afraid to seek medical care,” Campos said.
California enacted a similar law in 2025, and Oregon’s proposal is seen as part of a broader national push to protect vulnerable patients and hold federal agencies accountable in healthcare settings.
More information about the Healthcare Without Fear Act is available at OregonRN.org/CareWithoutFear.
