A Houston doctor's TikTok video telling undocumented migrants to decline answering questions when asked if they are illegal in this country while receiving medical care sparked a tidal wave of criticism and positive reviews from those sympathetic towards undocumented foreigners in need of urgent healthcare. The story received heavy coverage during the November-December 2024 time period.
Doctor Advises Immigrants
Dr. Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, posted a video on TikTok advising people to skip an important question on their intake form and not answer questions about their immigration status when receiving hospital care. "It has made all of us physicians and providers super uncomfortable," Pastor said in the video. "No one has told us what people are going to do with this information."
Doctor advises immigrants, putting funding at risk, Tony Pastor. Photo: Instagram
The doctor expressed concern about the implications of the order, stating, "The way the country is moving, I worry that this is information that people are going to use to deport people."
Governor Greg Abbott took decisive action in August 2024 by issuing an executive order that mandates the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect and report data on the financial burdens of providing medical care to undocumented immigrants.
Abbott has made it abundantly clear that Texas will hold the Biden-Harris administration accountable. The state is determined to ensure that the federal government reimburses Texans for the healthcare costs incurred by undocumented immigrants.
Texas hospitals that accept Medicaid funding or Children’s Health Insurance Program plans have been prompted to ask “Are you a U.S. citizen?” on patient intake forms to comply with the executive order and collect information on illegal aliens’ total medical costs.
American Civil Liberties Union has reportedly criticized the draconian practice and said that answering the question isn't legally required. Dr. Pastor has attracted widespread notoriety for posting the video on TikTok saying that people who visit TCH should purposefully bypass the collection of data by refusing to answer the question
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone who comes in doesn’t answer it, and it messes with whatever data that they’re looking for,” Pastor said on the video.
"I am in Texas. I will gladly add this to my list of "prefer not to answer" questions at medical establishments. This includes my cycle, marital status, and form of birth control," one commenter, Carlee Nicole, wrote.
Texas Children's Hospital is an internationally recognized children's hospital and the primary pediatric training site for Baylor College of Medicine, which has one of the largest pediatric residency programs in the country.
Video instructing Undocumented Aliens to Skip Answering the Question About Citizenship Viewed Over a Million Times
In the video, the Texas Children’s Hospital employee described himself as a “gay doctor” who has gone viral several times in the past for filming “cute videos of my boyfriend” and “thirst-trap” videos—which are either videos or posts specifically intended to induce sexual attraction.
The video, viewed over a million times with over 200,000 likes, directly challenges Abbott's directive for the state's Health and Human Services Commission to collect data on undocumented immigrants using public hospitals for emergency care. Aside from the massive views on social media the video drew the ire of Abbott, who warned that both TCH and Baylor College of Medicine, where Pastor is an assistant professor, should have accurate records once the reporting of the data of whether patients are undocumented immigrants is submitted on the designated reporting date.
Governor Responds
“Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine, this doctor is putting your Medicaid and Medicare funding at risk,” Abbott posted on X. “You better think twice & have crystal clear records.”
“There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Executive Order,” he concluded. A Texas Children’s Hospital spokesperson told news media outlets that the institution fully supports Abbott’s new executive order and is in full compliance.
Greg Abbott Governor of Texas. Official photo
“We have worked closely with the Texas Hospital Association and our industry partners across the state to ensure compliance in advance of the effective date,” the statement read. “While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children’s hold their personal views on many topics, those 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.”
Houston News Today Reporter C. Walker can be reached at newsjournalist360@gmail.com