Just before 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning, a group of about 50 protesters gathered outside the main entrance to Highland Hospital in Oakland to call attention to a patient in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
" We wanna let the world know that Oakland will not quietly let the feds kidnap our community," one person told KALW on the condition of anonymity.
Many would not share their names out of fear of retaliation from ICE, which has detained protesters in the days following actions like this one. According to Alameda County Immigration Legal Education Partnership — the county’s rapid response network — the patient was taken to Highland after being injured during their arrest on Friday.
Earlier this month, the Washington Examiner reported that ICE is actively increasing enforcement across California. And according to a UC Berkeley deportation data project, ICE arrests in the Bay Area increased by about 70% during the first seven months of this year, compared to the same period last year.
At Highland, community members started gathering over the weekend, leading to the action Monday morning.
"I am very aware of the limited power that any of us have individually to stop armed men with government support, government resources," said one anonymous community member. "Why is resistance important? Resistance is all we have."
Around 7:30 AM, a group of protesters blocked an SUV from exiting the garage. It had been flagged as an ICE vehicle by community reporting networks.
At least six sheriff's deputies arrived to respond to protesters and made a dispersal order, threatening to arrest anyone who was obstructing access to the parking garage. As of publication, no arrests have been made.
Many voiced concern about sheriff’s deputies — and the hospital — cooperating with ICE, which is a violation of the county’s policies.
In January, Alameda County supervisors unanimously approved “ICE-Free Zones,” barring immigration enforcement on county-owned property including parking lots, and the private areas of buildings that are owned or controlled by the county.
Highland is a public hospital, owned by the county and operated by Alameda Health System. As such, it is subject to the ICE-Free Zones policy.
The hospital’s website says that it’s committed to protecting patient privacy, and does not voluntarily disclose information to immigration officials. However, the hospital’s policy on patients who are admitted in ICE custody is unclear.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said that it is standard procedure for officers to accompany detainees to the hospital for monitoring when they need medical care.
Alameda Health System did not respond to KALW’s request for comment.
As the sun rose on Monday, Highland’s hospital staff arrived for work. Some walked by without comment, while others honked in support.
Highland’s policy says staff can’t speak to the media. But many told protesters they were glad for their presence outside the hospital.
