Reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity at Minnesota hospitals have sparked outrage among lawmakers and prompted a strong rebuke from state legislators. According to a recent release, agents have been accused of harassing and detaining patients at medical facilities, including Hennepin County Medical Center and Regions Hospital in St. Paul. At Hennepin County, a patient was allegedly handcuffed to a bed, and in St. Paul, a patient’s wife was reportedly threatened with trespassing charges.
Minnesota state legislators, deeply concerned about these incidents, have categorically condemned the actions of ICE agents in healthcare settings. In a joint statement, a group of lawmakers emphasized, “It is illegal for ICE to enter private buildings and residences without a judicial warrant, and it is absolutely unconscionable to deliberately put patients' health at risk." The lawmakers asserted that the government agents have to respect constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures for all individuals, "no matter their immigration status." They also stressed the need for health care workers to be able to choose between their duties and the safety of their patients.
This bipartisan group of legislators includes Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, Senator Melissa H. Wiklund, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, and several other lawmakers with medical backgrounds. They collectively urged hospitals in Minnesota "to adopt clear and proactive policies, protocols, and training to safeguard care, security, and privacy."
The sentiment was echoed in the statement obtained by the Senate DFL official site, where legislators expressed an unequivocal message to ICE: "leave our state immediately. You are not welcome here, you are not wanted anywhere, you are not making anyone safer or healthier, and your presence causes harm." They further pointed out that patients in ICE custody are under civil, and not criminal detention, and must be treated with the utmost dignity, which does not include being placed in shackles.
The strong response from Minnesota state legislators to the ICE activities reflects an ongoing tension between state policies and federal immigration enforcement. Moreover, it underscores the imperative for medical facilities to serve as safe havens for all in need of care. The legislators who signed the statement are steadfast in seeking justice against any actions they perceive as unconstitutional and in protecting the rights and health of their constituents.
