At U.S. Rep. Silvia Garcia’s “Know Your Rights” event, a Harris Health spokesperson claimed that patients do not have to answer questions on their immigration status, regardless of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order requiring hospitals to collect such data.
The order directed hospitals to begin collecting information regarding the cost of medical care provided to illegal aliens as of November 1, 2024.
Olga Rodriguez, vice president of Community Engagement, Corporate Communications with Harris Health said at the event, “Hospitals are obligated to comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, regulations, and executive orders issued by federal, state, and local authorities.”
Harris Health is a taxpayer-funded healthcare provider.
Rodriguez discussed Abbott’s executive order, stating, “All Texas hospitals, including Harris Health, have been required to begin collecting answers to citizenship questions from all patients receiving hospital inpatient or emergency care.”
However, she went on to stress that patients need not answer these questions.
“Harris Health representatives will simply collect each patient’s answer to the citizenship questions—including if the patient declines to answer—and will not ask the patient for documents or other proof to validate their answers.”
She reiterated the statement again, emphasizing that patients need not answer questions related to citizenship.
“We will continue to care for them regardless of how they choose to answer the citizenship question,” she added, which is in line with Abbott’s order.
Harris Health will only report aggregate data and will not share personal information like immigration status with the state or outside agencies, according to Rodriguez. She emphasized that no personal information will be shared with state agencies.
Local Democrat officials have been hosting “know your rights” events to educate illegal aliens on what they should do if they encounter immigration officers. Red cards handed out at Wednesday’s event encouraged illegal aliens to avoid opening the door and to remain silent.
Cesar Espinosa, executive director of leftist activist group FIEL Houston encouraged legal permanent residents to naturalize.
“There are 500,000 legal permanent residents in Texas who could become U.S. citizens. For two reasons it is important they naturalize. Number one, as a legal permanent resident you can still be deported from the United States.”
Espinoza continued, “Those half a million residents-turning-citizens could very well help decide the next election and put new leadership in the state of Texas.”
Garcia reminded Espinoza that politics are not allowed at official events.
A spokesperson for Harris Health wrote to Texas Scorecard:
We are confident that we are able to fully comply with the executive order as guided by Texas Health and Human Services. You will note in this form provided by HHS the language around individuals who do not respond (page 2 key descriptions): Executive Order No. GA-46 Form
We want to assure all of our patients and community members that no personal information will be shared by Harris Health with the state or other agencies as a result of the requirement, and that regardless of how they answer the citizenship status question, it will in no way interfere with their receiving healthcare at Harris Health emergency rooms or hospitals.
Gov. Abbott’s office did not return requests for comment before publication.
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