Professor Medha D. Makhlouf coauthors piece in Rhode Island Medical Journal

CARLISLE, Pa.—Professor Medha D. Makhlouf coauthored an article in the latest issue of the Rhode Island Medical Journal. “When ICE Comes to Work: Defending Access to Healthcare” urges healthcare workers to “prepare to encounter ICE at your workplace and to care for people in or at risk of ICE detention.” The piece goes on to offer guidance on the practical aspects of providing care for patients who are in or at risk of ICE detention, outlining actionable approaches to three hypothetical scenarios.

Makhlouf’s coauthors are health care providers based in Rhode Island, and they invited her to coauthor the commentary based on her research and practice experience on topics at the intersection of health law and immigration law.

“Healthcare workers have unique responsibilities and opportunities to help patients in times of crisis. The escalation of ICE activity in our region has already impacted the health of Rhode Islanders, and we must proactively prepare for scenarios like these in order to look after the health and well-being of our patients and communities,” notes the conclusion of the article.

Professor Medha D. Makhlouf is the Elsie de R. and Samuel P. Orlando Distinguished Professor and founding director of the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic at Penn State Dickinson Law. She has a joint appointment in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Penn State College of Medicine. Professor Makhlouf’s research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of health law, immigrants’ rights, and poverty law and policy. Her recent scholarship has been published in the Boston University Law Review, New York University Law Review, and the Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law & Ethics. Professor Makhlouf is currently writing a book, tentatively titled Health Justice for Migrants, which is under contract with Cambridge University Press.