MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Health professionals in Minnesota are sounding alarms as a series of cases highlight how immigration enforcement is impacting healthcare for vulnerable populations. Among the stories shared is that of a pregnant woman who missed vital prenatal checkups for fear of visiting clinics during the Trump administration's immigration policies. A nurse discovered her at home, already in labor, necessitating a rushed intervention.
Another reported incident involves a kidney cancer patient who, while in detention, lost access to his medication, creating uncertainty about his treatment. These frightening scenarios are punctuated by similar tales of diabetes patients avoiding insulin and others facing medical crises that could have been prevented.
At a recent press conference in St. Paul, Dr. Roli Dwivedi, former president of the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, described the current environment, stating, Our places of healing are under siege.
Historically, hospitals, churches, and schools were safe havens from immigration enforcement. However, this changed with the Trump administration's announcement last year allowing federal agents to make arrests in sensitive locations.
I have been a practicing physician for more than 19 years here in Minnesota, and I have never seen this level of chaos and fear, Dr. Dwivedi expressed, reflecting the current crisis surpassing even the concerns raised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The crackdown intensified in January with a deployment of 2,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis area, dubbed Operation Metro Surge. Reports from federal agencies indicate over 3,000 arrests of undocumented individuals in the ongoing operation.
Health officials are now witnessing an increase in home birth requests among women hesitant to seek traditional care due to fear of exposure to immigration enforcement—all while local officials and activists clash with federal authorities over the aggressive tactics used. Following a particularly tragic incident where a mother of three was fatally shot by an ICE officer, tensions have escalated.
The recent protests at a St. Paul church, where some congregants confronted a pastor linked to ICE, exemplify the crumbling trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. The U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly initiated a civil rights investigation into the protest, highlighting the broader national crisis surrounding immigration policy and its implications on both community safety and healthcare access.
