Families Struggling To Find ICE Detainees Who Are Hospitalized | KQED

"According to ICE's guidelines, people in custody should be given access to a telephone, visits from family and friends, and private consultation with legal counsel. The agency can make administrative decisions, including about visitation, when a patient is in the hospital, but should defer to hospital policies on contacting next of kin when a patient is seriously ill, the guidelines state. Asked in detail about hospital practices related to patients in immigration custody and whether there are best practices that hospitals should follow, Ben Teicher, a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association, declined to comment."

"As of February 9, 2026, a total of 17 measles cases have been reported statewide. Elsewhere in the United States, one of the largest outbreaks in over 30 years is happening in South Carolina with 920 associated cases. "As a pediatrician and parent, I encourage families to make sure everyone gets up to date on their MMR vaccine, if they haven't already," said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer in a statement. "CDPH continues to coordinate with, and support, local health departments in their responses to stop measles from spreading further in our communities.""

ICE guidelines state that people in custody should have access to a telephone, visits from family and friends, and private consultation with legal counsel. The agency can make administrative decisions, including about visitation when a patient is hospitalized, but should defer to hospital policies on contacting next of kin when a patient is seriously ill. The American Hospital Association declined to comment on hospital practices; a California Hospital Association spokesperson said hospitals sometimes maintain confidentiality of patients' names at law enforcement request. As of February 9, 2026, California reported 17 measles cases statewide while South Carolina reported 920 cases in one outbreak, and public health officials urged MMR vaccination and coordination with local health departments to stop spread.

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