Healthcare Is a Right, Not a Privilege: USC Must Do More for Undocumented Students

By Ilias Alaffi | TheCHANGEproject fellow 25'

Healthcare should be accessible to everyone, but for many of our neighbors and classmates, it feels out of reach

Many undocumented residents avoid going to the doctor or seeking out medical care due

to fears of being detained by ICE, fears that have recently heightened ever since the Trump

administration overturned policies banning immigration enforcement from raiding “sensitive

areas” including schools, churches, and hospitals.

This fear is intensified by a lack of access to affordable healthcare. Undocumented

residents don't qualify for Medicaid, Medicare, or other federal programs aimed at reducing

barriers to healthcare, even though they make significant tax contributions to federal, state, and

local governments. This means that without insurance, the cost of healthcare can be crippling.

This is partially addressed by Medi-Cal, California’s health insurance plan for low-income

residents, regardless of immigration status. However, many barriers still apply. Language barriers

make it challenging to navigate the Medi-Cal enrollment process, which itself also requires

digital literacy skills and access to digital devices, a luxury many undocumented residents lack.1

Additionally, the Trump administration's threats to cut grants towards sanctuary cities puts these

programs at risk, driving deeper worry and uncertainty into the community.

This isn't just a distant policy issue, but rather a personal one for the Trojan family

The Keck School of Medicine and the Los Angeles General Medical Center, whose doctors are

faculty of the Keck School of Medicine, both serve a large and diverse population, including

many undocumented individuals. In addition, many USC students themselves are undocumented

or live in households of mixed statuses. Despite this, USC lacks an undocumented student

resource center, an important space that would provide guidance on healthcare access, legal aid,

and financial support. Without this, many students at USC struggle, uncertain of where to turn

for help. A dedicated undocumented student resource center would provide this crucial support

for undocumented and DACAmented students.

Both UCLA and UC Berkeley already have one, why doesn’t USC?

Going beyond campus, South Central LA is home to thousands of undocumented

residents who are part of our community, making important contributions to the economy,

culture, and workforce of LA but are often struggling to access basic healthcare. Many of these

individuals are the very workers who keep USC running, and their health is directly tied to the

well being of the Trojan family, as well as the larger community as a whole. Public health is

only as strong as its most vulnerable members. Without ensuring everyone has access to

adequate healthcare, we run the risk of weakening our entire health infrastructure, leaving our

community as a whole more susceptible to health crises.

Healthcare access for undocumented residents isn't just about human rights, but about the collective well being of everyone in the community

USC students and staff must urge the administration to establish an undocumented

student resource center and advocate for stronger protections of our undocumented community

members. A petition supporting the establishment of an Undocumented Trojan Resource Center

can be found on the Undocumented Trojan Success Assembly’s instagram page,

@undocutrojans, where additional resources aimed at supporting students can be found as well.

We must use our voices to ensure USC lives up to its promises about inclusion and

community, ensuring our undocumented community receives the care they deserve.