The Alameda County Board of Supervisors heard harsh criticisms, Tuesday, October 27, about Highland Hospital’s failure to enforce an ICE Free Zones ordinance.
Earlier this month, dozens of ICE agents were in and out of Oakland’s Highland Hospital guarding a single detainee. Lawyer Nikolas De Bremaeker said being in the patient’s room was not permitted by hospital and county policy.
“An ICE officer did sit at the foot of the bed of, of the patient, and he was grinning at the patient," said De Bremaeker. "This is the same ICE officer who tackled him, who sat on his chest, and who fractured his six ribs. So it's very disturbing."
On Thursday, October 22, ICE agents secretly took the detainee from the hospital and transferred him to a Central Valley detention center.
At the public hearing Tuesday, county supervisors appeared to be surprised that Alameda Health Service — or AHS — administrators never demanded to see a warrant.
AHS CEO James Jackson said, “We will learn. We will be better."
But during public comment, nurse Marina Stankov-Hodge blasted his inability to know what a warrant even looks like.
“This man who's supposed to protect us does not know what that is. If you want actual help, ask us, ask the hospital staff.” I am sick of this sh*t. If a nurse ends up dead in the hospital, it's on you.”
Many other staff members also testified about how badly unprepared the hospital is to follow California and Alameda County’s Sanctuary laws.
The board asked that AHS create and deliver a critical incident report.
Alameda Health Services did not reply to our request for comment.
