HCMC patient arrested by immigration agents in Minneapolis, advocates say

Immigration officers arrested a patient last week at Hennepin County Medical Center who was seeking medical care, according to Unidos MN, an immigrant advocacy nonprofit. 

Unidos leaders, healthcare workers and elected officials are hosting a news conference Tuesday at 3 p.m. outside the HCMC Emergency Department to call on hospitals and businesses to adopt policies on how to respond to immigration agents. They’re asking hospitals to prevent agents from entering their buildings without a proper arrest warrant. 

“We do want to make sure that we know exactly what happened and highlight the faults that happened by not having a plan or any clear protocols for patient safety when ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) shows up,” said Luis Argueta, communications director for Unidos MN. 

HCMC officials have been notified of the patient’s arrest, and are in conversation with Unidos MN to verify the details, he added. 

Sahan Journal reached out to HCMC for comment Tuesday morning, and had not received a response by the time this article was published. 

A patient arrived at the HCMC Emergency Department on Dec. 31 seeking medical care, Argueta told Sahan Journal. ICE officers entered the hospital without a warrant to arrest the patient, and sat at the patient’s bedside for more than 24 hours while medical staff provided care, he said. 

“During that time, reports indicate that the patient was being treated as though they were in custody, including being denied family visitation and at times, shackled to the bed,” Argueta told Sahan Journal. “These reports are still under review.” 

A HCMC nurse notified the organization about the patient’s arrest, he added. 

“Hospitals should never ever treat a patient the way that this patient was treated,” Argueta said. “Down to shackling someone at the bed, that’s something that you would do if a prisoner had to be sent to a county hospital, not someone who has a different status other than citizen.” 

ICE officers took the patient into custody as they tried to leave the hospital, he said. Argueta did not know the patient’s medical issue. 

“The fear is also what happens once the patient is taken out of the hospital and does care continue to happen? Probably not,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.