Approximately 250 Boston Medical Center employees are protesting a visit by Melania Trump on Wednesday over fears that her presence will dissuade vulnerable populations, like immigrants, from seeking medical care.
Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar plan to visit a BMC program dedicated to treating babies who are born with opioid dependency. It’s a natural extension of Trump’s confusing Be Best initiative, which—among several other nebulous goals—tackles drug use and opioid addiction.
But according to the Boston Globe, protesters worry that this photo op may make BMC appear complicit with the Trump administration’s war against immigrants.
From the Boston Globe [1]:
“If they thought that my affiliation was with somebody who promotes such division and promotes the hatred of immigrants, I’m sure that they’re not going to be asking to come to see me to take care of them,” said Cecilia T. Girard, a nurse midwife who is an immigrant from Ecuador.
Hospital employees said their patients are bearing the brunt of immigration crackdowns, and that some are so worried about deportation that they have missed appointments.
“This is not just some theoretical thing. This is actually happening to our patients,” said Thamarah Crevecoeur, a nurse midwife whose parents are from Haiti.
The @FLOTUS [2] has arrived to @The_BMC [3] #7News [4] @7News [5] pic.twitter.com/44t2UP07Qi [6]
— Brian Michael (@Brian_Mic) November 6, 2019 [7]
Last week, hospital employees urged hospital administrators to cancel Trump’s visit. BMC president and chief executive, Kate Walsh, didn’t budge. Instead, she encouraged employees to use Trump’s visit as an opportunity to show the first lady and federal leaders like Azar first hand how important federal funding is to the vulnerable populations they serve.
Take a look:
@JanetWuNews [8] covering Melania Trump's visit to Boston Medical Center today…protesters are mocking the controversial coat she once wore… pic.twitter.com/OofD8LGZmv [9]
— Bloomberg Bay Biz (@bloombergbaybiz) November 6, 2019 [10]
While not massive, this is certainly the largest group of organized protest that @FLOTUS [2] has experienced on a solo trip. Most of the signs were messages about administration immigration policies. Melania Trump is @The_BMC [3] to learn about babies born with opioid addiction. https://t.co/eTP6hrvC0R [11]
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) November 6, 2019 [12]
Medical professionals standing in solidarity at Boston Medical center in protest of First Lady Melania Trumps visit.
First lady visiting cuddle program at Boston hospital for babies born on drugs.@boston25 [13] pic.twitter.com/DPDaFxnI5j [14]— Scott McDonnell (@ScottMcDonnell_) November 6, 2019 [15]
I came to BUSM because of its commitment to health equity and serving the underserved. Hosting Melania Trump and Alex Azar is antithetical to these values. Disappointed in my institution today, but incredibly #BMCProud [16] to see all our diverse colleagues take a stand #OurBMC [17] pic.twitter.com/akHTFAmX25 [18]
— David Lumelsky (@DLumelsky) November 6, 2019 [19]
Some of the signs at the protest outside Boston Medical Center. First Lady Melania Trump has arrived. More on why she’s here in this @NBC10Boston [20] story: https://t.co/jMXfOniCGd [21] pic.twitter.com/19sYr6JMoX [22]
— Abbey Niezgoda NBC10 Boston (@AbbeyNBCBoston) November 6, 2019 [23]