U.S. Immigration Policy Environment Contributions to Maternal and Child Health in the Latino Population

Latino families in the United States experience persistent maternal and child health (MCH) inequities driven by a fragmented immigration and public benefits policy environment rather than inherent health differences. Although most Latino children are U.S.-born citizens, many live in mixed-status families in which immigration status determines eligibility for health care, nutrition assistance, and other essential services. This narrative policy review examines U.S. immigration and public benefit policies from 1965 to 2025 to assess how eligibility rules, enforcement practices, and policy instability shape access to maternal and child health services among Latino populations. Drawing on public health, legal, and social science literature, the review documents substantial variation in access to Medicaid, CHIP, nutrition programs, and emergency care by immigration status and state policy. Findings indicate that restrictive eligibility criteria, expansions and contractions of the public charge rule, and immigration enforcement practices have produced chilling effects that deter eligible families from accessing care, reduce prenatal and postpartum service utilization, and contribute to adverse birth outcomes and intergenerational health inequities. The review concludes that immigration policy functions as a structural determinant of MCH and identifies two key policy priorities: 1. maintaining the 2022 Final Public Charge Rule that excludes public safety-net programs, and 2. waiving the five-year Medicaid waiting period for all pregnant immigrants regardless of documentation status to ensure equitable access to essential maternal and child health care.