Fresno area medical clinics see ‘significant’ drop in appointments due to ICE raids
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Central Valley clinics report a 10% drop in visits tied to ICE enforcement fears.
- United Health Centers expands telehealth to offset reduced in-person attendance.
- Misinformation and policy fears deter both documented and undocumented patients.
United Health Centers of the San Joaquín Valley has seen a noticeable decline not only in the number of patients attending their scheduled appointments, but also in the overall number of new appointments, because of growing concerns about deportation raids.
“Our no-show rates have gone up and appointments have gone down. There was a 10% difference in appointments. We’re definitely feeling the effects of what’s happening with immigration concerns that are in a lot of our communities that we serve,” said Justin Preas, president and CEO of United Health Centers of the San Joaquín Valley.
Preas noted that a 10% drop in appointments since the beginning of June is “pretty significant.”
United Health Centers is dedicated to serving low-income, largely rural communities from Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties — particularly farmworker populations and families who face barriers to accessible healthcare. UHC currently has 35 health centers and 12 WIC sites.
Preas added that the decline has prompted different strategies.
“We’ve tried to offer more telehealth appointments for patients so they can stay home and get those vital things they need over the phone or by virtual appointments,” Preas said. “But obviously you can’t do everything over telehealth. There are a lot of appointments that patients need in person.”
Preas said that there have been no incidents of ICE agents appearing at their health centers and believes misinformation may be partly responsible for the recent decline in patient appointments.
“Social media is a very powerful tool, but also if it’s not used the right way it spreads lies and things that are not true, so people get scared and they don’t come in,” he said. “As the immigration enforcement increases, things have spiked again.”
Preas said the healthcare providerensures all employees are aware of their responsibility to protect patient confidentiality and legal obligations under HIPAA. He said staff have received extensive training to prepare for situations involving immigration enforcement.
“People should not delay their healthcare because of the climate we’re in right now and continue to make sure they’re accessing health services including their preventative care because we want to make sure we keep everyone healthy and safe,” he said.
Galvia Juarez, a resident of West Fresno, started experiencing kidney failure during her pregnancy last year and had a surgery. She had been receiving regular checkups every three to four months. But now, she says she’s afraid to use her Medi-Cal benefits under the current president, worried it could be considered a public charge in the future as she goes through the immigration process with her husband. She’s also concerned about potential immigration enforcement activity near her clinic.
“I have a checkup this month, but I’m going to avoid my medical appointments right now because I don’t want to complicate my situation,” Juarez said.
Juarez added that this is the first time she’s going to miss her appointment, which was scheduled at Clovis Community Medical Center.
“There are a lot of clinics I see that are empty. It worries me. Before, we were scared of the diagnosis, now we’re just scared to show up,” she said.
Margarita Rocha, executive director of Centro La Familia Advocacy Services in Fresno, said they’ve also been hearing from families who are increasingly hesitant to visit the doctor.
“What we hear from the families we work with is that there’s a real concern about accessing any kind of public service,” Rocha said.
Centro La Familia offers a wide range of services to underserved and unserved residents across more than a dozen communities in Fresno County, serving approximately 15,000 clients each year through culturally sensitive programs and interventions that promote health, wellness, and economic stability.
“It’s definitely affecting the healthcare community and the demand for services, because people are afraid,” she added. “And that fear isn’t limited to those who are undocumented — it’s widespread. People are just scared because of everything that’s happening. As a result, we’ve seen a noticeable drop in the use of our services.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
