This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA.
Employees of AHS, especially at Highland, have been calling on the administration to protect patients from immigration enforcement in the hospital. They have been hosting Know Your Rights trainings, passing around badge buddies with info about how to respond to ICE, and writing up policy proposals that keep patients safer.
Workers have also sent multiple letters to admin asking for clearer and stronger policies – first a letter with hundreds signatures from employees, and then a letter with hundreds of signatures from both concerned community members and staff.
After AHS executives stated they would not host a forum to answer worker’s questions and concerns about ICE, workers themselves hosted a forum to help organize themselves and address community concerns.
And lo and behold, on the day of the forum, admin released a new protocol regarding patients in ICE custody, as well as badge buddies (an informative card attached to your badge) with a flowchart on what to do should immigration officers show up. Find the new, stronger protocol on the intranet under immigration resources!
During the forum, an AHS executive even showed up to help answer questions from the community and employees. Something they previously stated they would not do.
Since workers have been organizing at Highland, they have gotten the administration to agree to stronger policies, educated hundreds of staff on their legal rights and those of their patients, and even helped release a patient from ICE detention while in the hospital.
Even though things may seem tough, the wins we’ve seen show that we can’t give up – our coworkers, patients, and community are relying on us.
Click here to read the article printed in the 12-17-25 Healthcare Newsletter
