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Get to Know Resettlement Agencies
A snapshot of the who, what and why of Resettlement Agencies - the institutions that are so vital to refugee support and advocacy.

ShankMD
Jul 293 min read
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How to Advocate for a Bill: CA Summer 2025
Here is a play-by-play for how to contact your California legislators and advocate for undocumented immigrants today.

ShankMD
Jul 173 min read
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Immigration Med Basics: The I-693
Changes to U.S. immigration status and applications for citizenship are incredibly complex. With an administration unfriendly to the...

ShankMD
Jul 23 min read
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What To Do If: ICE Shows Up at Your Emergency Department
Short and sweet - brief guidelines compiled from a few sources for best practices if ICE shows up on the doorstep of your hospital, given...

ShankMD
Feb 132 min read
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Book Review Series: Contagious Divides
This is the second iteration of a book review series for Immigration Medicine & Immigration Policy-specific reads. Join me in my quest to...

ShankMD
Feb 84 min read
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CBP One App: What Did We Lose?
The new administration has cancelled the CBP One App, the only way for asylum seekers to request an appointment. What did we lose?

ShankMD
Jan 232 min read
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Differences in Acute Healthcare Needs for Asylum Seekers
The intersection of US immigrant health policy and clinical practice is a complex area of concern as a physician-advocate. As we navigate...

ShankMD
Jan 103 min read
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Book Review Series: Humanizing Immigration
This is the first iteration of a book review series for Immigration Medicine & Immigration Policy-specific reads. Join me in my quest to...

ShankMD
Dec 3, 20246 min read
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The Great See-Saw: Mexico-CA Immigration Policy History
Portrait of several Mexican Americans deported amidst Hoover's "Real Jobs for Real Americans" in 1929 As I was preparing for an elective...

ShankMD
Nov 21, 20245 min read
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How to: Conduct a Forensic Medical Evaluation for Asylum Seekers
The process of approaching your first medical asylum evaluation (i.e. a forensic medical evaluation, or FME) can be a daunting task....

ShankMD
Nov 15, 20242 min read
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What's the Difference between a Refugee and an Asylum Seeker?
Immigration policy and legal labels for immigrants can get confusing. Certain designations offer increased levels of protection or...

ShankMD
May 28, 20242 min read
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