Doctors say Minnesota's immigration crackdown elevates health crisis for patients
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration ended a policy protecting hospitals, schools, and churches from immigration enforcement, leading to increased ICE presence in Minnesota medical facilities and resulting in patients avoiding critical healthcare out of fear.
- Medical staff at Hennepin County Medical Center reported encounters with ICE officers, including accusations of unnecessary shackling of patients and targeting people of color, causing significant distress among healthcare workers and patients.
- Similar immigration enforcement actions in other states, such as Oregon and California, have pressured medical staff to discharge detainees prematurely, raising concerns about patient care and autonomy.
- The intensified immigration crackdown, termed Operation Metro Surge, has resulted in over 3,000 arrests in the Minneapolis area and has disrupted prenatal care, increased requests for home births, and heightened community tensions
