Cooler but still well above normal this week

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. 

Turn Up Your Support

As L finishes her workday at Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis and makes her way to the parking lot where her car is, she cannot shake the fear that someone might grab her and take her away.

She also detects this same tension among other HCMC staff members who tell her they are afraid to come to or leave work.

L has requested that her real name not be used because she does not feel safe.

“I understand that DHS is doing their job, but others are just grabbing anyone they can grab, and that's created a fearful environment for everybody. It just doesn't feel safe anymore,” L said. “It puts us in a very vulnerable position.”

Health care workers have voiced their concerns about patient safety during “Operation Metro Surge.” Many of them are also worried about their own well-being and that of their colleagues. Six hospital employees spoke with MPR News and shared their feelings of anxiety and fear about going to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents present in their facilities and stationed at patients’ bedsides. 

MPR News has verified the identity of the hospital employees and is granting them anonymity due to their fears of retribution.

They said that the stress and trauma they experience stems from being targeted based on their immigration status or skin color.

L mentioned that she has been hypervigilant lately. At work, she said, federal agents are appearing in plainclothes, which makes her feel uneasy. When traveling to and from work, she uses the camera in her vehicle and is constantly on the lookout for any unusual activity.

“It really feels like we're all just living on survival mode,” L said. “I never thought I'd find myself in this position, and that fear is having real consequences for all of us health care workers.”

The Department of Homeland Security said ICE officers do not carry out operations in hospitals.

“Law don’t conduct operations in hospitals, so those fears are unfounded and probably just ginned up by the media,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to MPR News.

But the statement contradicts employees’ observations.

Employees report that federal agents scope out staff. One nurse at HCMC said that a federal agent approached staff members who were attending to patients and asked them about their backgrounds, specifically inquiring about their places of origin. The employees chose to ignore the agents’ questions and did not respond.

Another employee at HCMC, who asked to remain anonymous for fear that their immigration status might single them out, shared a written statement with MPR News through a colleague.

They expressed feeling scared to go to work because of possible encounters with ICE agents. They are worried that if a federal agent finds their paperwork insufficient, they could be detained.

“Not all ICE agents are knowledgeable in immigration status, especially in my case,” they wrote. “We just started to build our small family and started to be financially stable. Am I going to be deported? What about my husband? What about our goals? What will happen to us? That is my question every single night before going to bed. It really affects me mentally and emotionally. This is like a nightmare.”

Hospital worker said concerns led her to carry proof of identity

A health care worker — who is Native American and prefers to be identified as M — said she and her community are experiencing targeted actions. She is frightened by the presence of federal agents at HCMC and said the agents have requested immigration documents from some staff members.

M has been carrying her documentation in a Ziploc storage bag since February 2025.

“I have my blood papers. I have my tribal papers. I have my birth certificate,” M said. “I'm literally Indigenous to this land, but I have to carry all my documentation because I know that they will take me, too.”

M has worked at the hospital for 34 years, but she feels conflicted about going to work due to the associated risks she faces as a person of color. She mentioned that the anxiety she has encountered while working at HCMC during this time surpasses anything she has dealt with before, even though she has never been completely comfortable in certain environments.

“I don't have a safe space at work right now. I don't know how far this is going to go. I don't know what the repercussions will be for me as a person of color, working there,” M said. “I don't know what the hospital will do for me if something happens to me.”

M said her focus is on caring for her patients, but she nearly experienced a panic attack. She had to pull herself off the floor and talk herself through the situation.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, M observed that hospital staff felt terror over the potential effects of the disease on themselves and their families, as well as concerns about what they might bring home. She said that the current situation in America is worse because there is nowhere safe for people to go. This instability is affecting M both mentally and physically. She is losing sleep because she is worried about what is happening in Minnesota.

MPR News reached out twice to Hennepin Healthcare, the nonprofit that runs HCMC, about its ICE protocols and the safety of staff and patients. A spokesperson acknowledged the inquiries and indicated that they would follow up soon and also shared the

 section on their website for additional information. At the time of publication, MPR News had not yet received a response.

Hospital employees report patient injuries and disrupted care amid ICE encounters

An employee at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, said that patients are being admitted to the emergency room with broken arms and concussions after interactions with federal agents. One person was chased off a building and their knee was shattered. Another person was running from federal agents and ran themselves into tachycardia and was admitted to the hospital.

A protestor was brought in because they were pepper sprayed by federal agents. The protestor told hospital staff that ICE agents also reached down their shirt and pepper sprayed the skin on their chest.

The employee said that these types of interactions between community members and ICE officers greatly affect them.

Many patients do not speak English and are afraid, according to the employee. If ICE is present in the room, patients are less likely to disclose personal information to health care workers. When ICE leaves, these patients are begging for help and asking to call their families.

“We are supposed to be providing the best patient care regardless of race, gender, class, sexuality, citizenship status or any other protected reason,” they said. However, as a person of color, this employee said that they feel uncomfortable in a room where ICE officers are present, noting that it seems as if the officers are “shopping” around.

ICE officers took a photo of one of their coworkers, who subsequently took a leave of absence. They said some employees have chosen to take family medical leave for their own protection, while others have decided to quit.

Additionally, a direct manager at the hospital allowed staff members to stop wearing their badges to prevent ICE officers from seeing their names.

A spokesperson for Fairview Health Services explained that their policies for handling ICE are the same as those for local law enforcement. M Health Fairview’s website emphasizes that staff and patient safety are the priority, that hospital leadership is monitoring the situation and will update staff as needed, encouraging them to share any concerns.

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa, a union of over 50,000 health care workers, said it opposes the presence of federal agents in hospital and clinical settings. In a statement to MPR News, the union said it is disappointed by the lack of action from health care systems and urged health care leaders to establish clear boundaries to protect patient privacy and ensure the safety of both patients and staff.

“All patients deserve to seek medical care without fear, and all healthcare workers should perform their duties without interference or intimidation,” SEIU said in a statement.

L, who works at HCMC, said she hides her fear and puts her emotions aside to stay focused on her patients.

“Our diversity at HCMC is one of our greatest strengths. Our mission has always been to provide care for everybody with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances,” L said. “At this point, everything is out of my control. So, I can sit here and worry about things that I can't control, or just continue to live and try to make a difference in people's lives.”

Health

Social Issues

Immigration

NewsPartners

Homepage

Immigration enforcement in Minnesota

Erica Zurek

Author

Health care workers are experiencing fear and anxiety about going to work with ICE agents present in hospitals and clinics.

Twin Cities health care workers describe 'fear,' 'intimidation' due to ICE in hospitals

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox