In recent weeks, troubling reports have been circulating about alleged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity within hospital settings. Some media outlets have gone so far as to suggest that hospital leaders are enabling ICE agents to interfere in medical decisions and patient care.
Let me be clear: these reports could not be further from the truth.
Hospitals exist to heal, not to harm — and the trust between a hospital and the communities it serves is sacred. Every patient who comes through its doors deserves compassionate, high-quality care, regardless of their background, circumstances or immigration status.
That said, it’s important to clarify what actually occurs when law enforcement agencies — whether federal, state or local — are present in a hospital setting.
- Hospitals regularly treat individuals in law enforcement custody. These situations happen every day in California. They may involve individuals who have been detained but not charged, as well as those under arrest or serving a sentence who require medical care.
- Decisions regarding security are made by law enforcement, not hospitals. When officers escort individuals needing health care, they may determine — for the safety of patients, visitors and staff — that the person in custody must be monitored at all times. The determination of risk and the need for continuous observation rest solely with the law enforcement officer, not with hospital personnel.
- At times, law enforcement presence in patient care areas is unavoidable. When this occurs, there may be incidental disclosures of patient information, such as an officer overhearing details about a patient’s condition or treatment. Legally, this is no different from a visitor overhearing information about another patient in a nearby bed or emergency department bay.
- These incidental disclosures do not violate patient privacy laws. Nor do they represent interference with the clinician-patient relationship. Our caregivers remain in full control of clinical decisions, guided by ethics, compassion and professional standards.
- Hospitals also take steps to protect patients in custody. For safety reasons, hospitals do not disclose the location of a patient who is in law enforcement custody — even to family or friends — to ensure the protection of all parties involved.
Hospitals across Southern California and throughout the nation are committed to one mission: caring for people in need. They do so without bias, without discrimination and without allowing external forces to interfere with the integrity of that care.
The Hospital Association of Southern California stands firmly behind our hospital members, their caregivers and their unwavering dedication to upholding the highest standards of safety, privacy and humanity — for every patient, every time.
Take care and stay safe.
George G.