Health care workers describe ‘fear,’ ‘intimidation’ due to ICE in hospitals
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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.
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE officers do not carry out operations in hospitals. 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.
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 protester was brought in because they were pepper sprayed by federal agents. The protester told hospital staff that ICE agents also reached down their shirt and pepper sprayed the skin on their chest.
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