Perspective: POTUS Trump's executive orders - Implications for immigrants and health care

The United States, under new executive orders proposed by its 45th president, may quickly lose its greatness in serving Emma Lazarus' untimely portrait of immigrants and refugees as "the tired, poor and huddled masses yearning to breathe free." After years of progress in improving health care access to underserved populations, new executive orders threaten our nation's advancements in health equity. Within this perspective, we offer examples on how these actions may result in damaging impacts on patients, families, communities and the health care workforce. We add our voices to a myriad of national leaders who are advocating for the preservation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the protection of immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).