Nurses in California have reported a rise in hostile encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents inside hospitals, following the Trump administration's decision to end the 'sensitive locations' policy that previously limited immigration enforcement at medical facilities.
Dianne Sposito, a 69-year-old nurse at UCLA's emergency room, described an incident in June when an ICE agent blocked her from treating a screaming patient. The agent, wearing a mask, sunglasses and hat without clear identification, refused to provide his name, badge or warrant, and told Sposito not to touch the patient. 'I've worked with police officers for years, and I've never seen anything like this,' she said.
Mary Turner, president of National Nurses United, said agents have been bringing patients into hospitals and sometimes preventing them from contacting family. She also reported that ICE agents have listened in on patient-healthcare worker conversations, potentially violating HIPAA privacy laws. 'The presence of ICE agents is very disruptive and creates an unsafe and fearful environment for patients, nurses and other staff,' Turner said.
Sal Rosselli, president emeritus of the National Union of Healthcare Workers, noted that such incidents never occurred prior to this year. Nurses fear the new policy will deter sick people from seeking care, as patients may avoid hospitals due to the risk of encountering immigration agents.
In a joint statement, George Gresham of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and Patricia Kane of the New York State Nurses Association condemned the policy, saying: 'Allowing ICE undue access to hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other healthcare institutions is both deeply immoral and contrary to public health.'
