ICE Agents Enter Minneapolis Hospital Without Warrant, Handcuff Patient to Bed for 24 Hours

ICE agents entered Hennepin County Medical Center’s emergency department without a judicial warrant during the holiday period, remaining at a patient’s bedside for over 24 hours and handcuffing the patient to the hospital bed. Agents gained access to staff-only areas including break rooms and parking lots before hospital security confronted them and confirmed no judicial warrant existed, at which point they were told to leave and complied.

Rep. Aisha Gomez stated: “Our Hennepin County commissioners worked with leadership of the hospital, including the leadership of security, established that there was no judicial warrant, and told them that they had to leave and they left.” Rep. Mohamud Noor noted: “This is an individual with a high medical risk that if he was detained, he could have lost his life.”

The incident triggered a chilling effect on healthcare access throughout the Twin Cities. Dr. Janna Gewirtz O’Brien reported immigrant families canceling medical appointments due to fear, while nurse practitioner Munira Maalimisaq observed: “My patients are canceling. They’re afraid to come out of their home.” Children missed checkups and vaccines, and patients avoided cancer care and other essential treatment.