Young doctors say ICE presence harming patients, call for agents to leave
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Resident physicians and fellows from the University of Minnesota and HCMC in Minneapolis took a break from work Friday to demand that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents leave Minnesota and its hospitals.
Health care workers in the Twin Cities have said ICE agents are entering hospitals with detained individuals, sometimes with warrants and sometimes without, and they are frequently present during patient care. Nurses at HCMC say the presence of the agents is terrifying medical staff.
Avalon Swenson, a second-year internal medicine resident at the University of Minnesota, participated in Friday’s “unity break.” She said ICE's presence is hurting the health of patients and residents across the region. “It's created a public health crisis for Minnesota.”
Health care professionals who treat immigrant populations emphasized that their working conditions have been negatively affected by federal agents.
They said that health care workers are breaking down inside the hospital from stress and trauma and that patients are refraining from seeking medical care due to an overwhelming sense of fear in the community.
— Erica Zurek, MPR News
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
This story is part of our live coverage. Go to live updates.
