Healthcare Workers Look For Better Guidelines On How To Handle Immigration Encounters | KQED

"Health care workers across Southern California are struggling to provide medical care to undocumented patients without clear guidance on how to handle encounters with immigration agents. A new bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last week will prohibit immigration enforcement from entering restricted medical areas without a warrant. Now, workers want hospitals to improve guidelines and provide better training so they can protect patients and themselves."

"Hernandez, a veteran nurse at the hospital and vice president of SEIU 121 RN, says agents were allowed inside to guard a detained person despite not having identification. "Any officer that comes into the hospital needs to have a badge on them, needs to show proper identification on them," said Hernandez. "The nurses didn't think to ask for proper identification at the time.""

Healthcare workers across Southern California face unclear guidance on handling immigration agents during care of undocumented patients. A recently signed bill will bar immigration enforcement from entering restricted medical areas without a warrant. Hospital staff are requesting clearer internal policies and targeted training to protect both patients and employees. A Riverside Community Hospital incident in June involved agents inside the facility without visible identification. Nurses managed patient care while also negotiating with agents in the absence of administrators. Staff report administrative inaction increases stress and places additional responsibilities on already strained nurses.

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