Biden government: vaccine must also be for undocumented immigrants

Biden pushes openness to refugees and asylum seekers 2:43

(CNN) -

Undocumented immigrants should be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the Biden administration said Monday.

He added that federal authorities will not conduct immigration control operations at vaccine distribution sites or clinics.

“It is a public health and moral imperative to ensure that all people who reside in the United States have access to the vaccine.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages all individuals, regardless of immigration status, to receive the Covid-19 vaccine once they are eligible under local distribution guidelines, ”said the Department of Homeland Security.

• A Mexican immigrant dies in ICE custody after contracting coronavirus

The statement from the department that oversees immigration law enforcement in the nation marks a significant change in the tone of official statements made during the Trump administration.

It's the first time the department has encouraged undocumented immigrants to get vaccinated against the coronavirus or discussed its immigration enforcement stance on vaccines.

Many undocumented immigrants live in communities that have already been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, but immigrant advocates have warned that widespread fear could prevent many people from getting vaccinated.

"I'm very, very concerned," Dr. Ranit Mishori, senior medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights, told CNN in December.

"If as a country we want to achieve herd immunity, that means that non-citizens living among us have to be immunized."

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Immigrant advocates say some immigrants are skeptical of any government-led vaccination effort after years of being targeted by the Trump administration, and some more recent comments from leaders have also made them think:

• In an interview last year with CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the vaccine would be free "for all American citizens."

Pfizer later told CNN that the CEO had referred to government statements on the matter.

• In a briefing last month, the governor of Nebraska hinted that coronavirus vaccines would not be available to undocumented immigrants in his state, although he withdrew the comments days later.

A video of Governor Pete Ricketts's comments went viral on Twitter, drawing heavy criticism.

• And the new guidelines in Florida that require people who get vaccinated to prove their residency in the state have also raised concerns among immigrant advocates.

They fear that such rules, purportedly designed to reduce "vaccine tourism," could prevent agricultural workers and other essential workers from receiving the vaccine.

• The number of people who have died in ICE custody is the highest in 15 years

When asked about the issue multiple times, the Biden administration said that undocumented immigrants should have access to the vaccine.

But Monday's statement represents the first time the Department of Homeland Security has publicly addressed the matter.

"The Department of Homeland Security is committed to ensuring that all people who need a vaccine can receive it, regardless of their immigration status," the department said.

Monday's statement echoes previous guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during natural disasters, such as hurricanes, when it is common for agencies to announce that they are refraining from taking compliance measures in an effort to ensure that vulnerable people are not afraid to seek help.

ICE also generally refrains from enforcing the law in places the agency considers "sensitive locations," including hospitals.

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