Minnesota ICE enforcement devastates healthcare access
Emergency room visits down 25% at Children's Minnesota as fear keeps families home
Emergency room visits at Children's Minnesota dropped 25% during ICE operations, but hospital admissions jumped 33% as delayed care led to more serious conditions requiring hospitalization.
Key People
4
Tom Homan
Border Czar
Launched Operation Metro Surge; announced Feb. 6 the operation would "conclude" but offered no withdrawal timeline
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Dr. Bryan Fate
Pediatrician at Childrens Minnesota
Documented 25% drop in ER visits and 33% rise in admissions; treated children with delayed care including ruptured eardrums and late appendicitis
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Dr. Roli Dwivedi
Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
Reported unprecedented "chaos and fear" in healthcare after 19 years practicing in Minnesota
Todd Lyons
Acting ICE Director
Oversees enforcement tactics; testified to Senate that ICE officers shot two U.S. citizens during operations
What you can do
Contact your U.S. Senators and Representative to demand ICE respect hospital sensitive location protections. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
Support state legislation barring hospitals from sharing patient information with immigration enforcement. Check if your state has protections like Colorado and Illinois laws.
Monitor local hospital policies on ICE access. Ask your hospital administrators what protocols they have for immigration enforcement and whether they require judicial warrants for private patient areas.