After Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order requiring hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status before treating them, a Texas doctor told patients they could skip the question.
In a now-viral video that has since been taken down, Dr. Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, told people they don’t actually have to answer the citizenship question when seeking treatment.
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People are worried the policy could prevent people from receiving necessary medical care.
Abbott’s executive order went into effect on November 1, 2024. Although hospitals have been instructed to tell patients that their response to the citizenship question will not affect the care they receive, critics worry that some immigrants will avoid seeking treatment out of fear.
On TikTok, Pastor emphasized that people shouldn’t have to feel afraid of going to the hospital. “You should come to a hospital if you are sick, you should get healthcare if you are sick,” he said, per Houston Public Media.
The doctor told patients that they can skip the question.
In his viral video, Pastor told patients they don’t have to answer the citizenship status question. “I worry that this is information that people are going to use to deport people,” he said in his video. He added that patients “do not actually have to answer the question.”
Per Houston Public Media, several advocacy groups have defended this claim. While the executive order requires hospitals to ask patients if they’re United States citizens, it does not specifically state that patients are required to answer.
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Abbott took to social media to respond to the viral video.
After Pastor’s video went viral, Abbott took to X to threaten his workplaces on November 24. Addressing the places where Pastor works, the governor warned that “there will be consequences.”
“Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk,” Abbott wrote, referring to Pastor. “You better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order.”
In follow-up videos, the doctor spoke more about the new law and addressed the governor's X post.
In a video shared several days before the Texas governor responded to Pastor’s claims, the doctor said, “This new law … is under the guise of trying to get data on how much money we’re spending on undocumented patients.”
The doctor explained, however, why he doesn’t believe this is what the law is really about. “If you really, truly cared about patients and spending in Texas, then why are we one of ten states that has not accepted Medicaid expansion?” he said.
On November 26, he shared a short video in response to Abbott’s X post. “When the gov of Texas threatens you on twitter because he is mad you exercised freedom of speech,” Pastor captioned the simple post.
Texas Children’s Hospital also responded.
In a statement shared by Houston Public Media, the hospital shared, “While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children’s hold their own personal views on many topics, these opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children’s Hospital. We will continue to prioritize patient care while ensuring we are in full compliance with all laws and legal directives.”
