This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA.
With the recent ICE raids in LA, and several high profile arrests in Bay Area courthouses, there have been lots of concerns about where ICE agents might show up next. Some Highland staff have been very vocal about protecting patients and each other if agents were to appear.
During these times it is important to know your rights. Immigration officers cannot enter any private areas of the hospital to conduct searches without a warrant signed by a judge. For both staff and patients, it is a good idea to get an idea ahead of time of which areas of the hospital are considered public and which are considered private. Some healthcare unions have also shared guidance on interacting with ICE.
Staff and patients also have the right to remain silent if approached by ICE, and request to speak only in the presence of a lawyer. Handing red cards to the officers can be a way of enforcing your rights while remaining silent, so make sure to always carry one, be it for yourself or others.
More than anything, solidarity is our best tool. Share information, donate to legal funds, record when you see someone having an interaction with ICE, and fight for your rights and for others to have healthcare without threats and fear.
Click here to read the article printed in the 06-18-25 Healthcare Newsletter
