When ICE Enters a Hospital: Why Clear Protocols Matter for Patient Safety.
For Immediate Release
Media contact:
Luis Argueta
Luis@unidos-mn.org
Communications Director
Unidos MN
When ICE Enters a Hospital: Why Clear Protocols Matter for Patient Safety
What happened at HCMC shows why every healthcare institution must be prepared.
Minneapolis, MN – Everyone in our community deserves access to healthcare without fear. That principle must hold true regardless of race, income, or immigration status. Recent events at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) raised serious concerns among patients, healthcare workers, and community members, and they underscore a larger issue Minnesota hospitals must urgently address: every healthcare institution needs a clear, practiced plan for how to respond when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears.
Over the holiday, ICE officers gained access to a patient at the HCMC Emergency Department without presenting a valid judicial warrant. The officers remained at the patient’s bedside for more than 24 hours while medical care was provided. During that time, reports indicate the patient was treated as though they were in criminal custody, including being denied family visitation and, at times, being shackled to the bed. Additionally, ICE officers were given access to staff only spaces, including break rooms and parking lots.
Community responders and frontline healthcare workers alerted Unidos MN members, which coordinated an on-the-ground response. This effort was complicated by a lack of transparency from hospital administration about the ongoing situation. Ultimately, with the involvement of a Hennepin County Commissioner and Minnesota state legislators, ICE officers were confronted and removed from HCMC approximately 28 hours after their arrival. Without a valid judicial warrant, the officers did not have legal authority to remain present at the patient’s bedside or receive information about the patient’s care. The patient continued to receive appropriate medical treatment.
This incident did not occur in isolation. It is an example of what happens when institutions do not have clear, enforced policies in place. Prior to this incident, Unidos MN’s Health Justice Committee had shared detailed policy recommendations (attached below) with HCMC leadership, warning that hospitals are increasingly vulnerable to immigration enforcement actions. Those recommendations were not adopted before the holidays, and HCMC leadership has failed to follow through on their agreement to meet to discuss the recommendation. The result was a preventable situation that caused fear, disrupted care, and damaged trust. Similar transgressions with ICE have occurred throughout hospitals in the metro and greater Minnesota since.
The purpose of speaking out now is not simply to recount what went wrong. It is to make clear what must happen next. Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems across Minnesota must adopt and train staff on protocols that uphold patient rights, protect privacy, and ensure compliance with the Fourth Amendment. When institutions have a plan, patients are safer, healthcare workers are protected, and communities retain confidence in seeking care. One hospital acting alone is not enough. Every healthcare institution must be prepared. This includes clear warrant review procedures, staff training, protections for patient privacy, and firm boundaries that prevent ICE from operating freely within healthcare settings.
ICE detention is civil, not criminal. Patients in civil immigration detention retain the same rights as any other person seeking healthcare. They should not be treated as prisoners, nor should ICE officers be granted access to patient care areas without a warrant signed by a judge. The failure to verify a judicial warrant before allowing ICE access represents a serious breakdown in protocol and trust, and it exposes a patient to harm in a space that must remain dedicated to healing.
In the meantime, we want community members to know this: healthcare is your right. Fear should not keep anyone from seeking medical care. If you have concerns about safety while accessing healthcare, reach out to us, your elected officials or other immigrant rights organizations for support. Patients can ask providers about options such as telehealth visits, medication delivery, and home health services when appropriate.
Healthcare workers are encouraged to attend Unidos MN’s Healthcare Worker Resistance Trainings. More than 300 frontline workers have already participated, including several who helped ensure dignity and support for the patient during this incident.
Hospitals are spaces dedicated to healing. They serve people at their most vulnerable moments. What happened at HCMC is a clear warning of what is at stake when those values are not upheld with strong policy and preparation. We are committed to working with healthcare institutions, workers, and public officials to ensure this does not happen again.
A press conference will be held Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in front of the HCMC Emergency Department at Chicago Avenue and South 8th Street. Community leaders, healthcare workers, labor representatives, and civil rights organizations will speak about this incident and the urgent need for hospitals to remain safe places for care.