Why Immigrant and Refugee Children?

Definitions:
Immigrant: A person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence

Refugee: A person who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war, etc.

Immigrant and refugee children are some of the most vulnerable children in the United States. As pediatricians, we care about the health and well-being of all children. We also identify groups of children that are the most at-risk and marginalized. Medicaid does not cover immigrant or refugee children awaiting asylum cases in 45 states, including Louisiana.  Due to this, our most vulnerable population of children lacks accessibility to healthcare and is therefore susceptible increased poor health outcomes.  Our goal is to provide accessible, affordable and quality medical care to New Orleans’ most at-risk patients.

Who are these children?
These are sweet toddlers learning their first words, clever pre-teens eager to tell you about their grades in school, or adolescents trying to understand their place in the world.  Yet their path to reach our community has been treacherous and traumatizing.  For a better understanding of their unique journeys, see HERE

In the Greater New Orleans area, we see children primarily from Central America who have fled horrific violence and threats against their lives and well-being. Our patients have risked their lives and fled danger in pursuit of a new, safe home environment. Find more remarkable stories about our pediatric patients. HERE