Immigration Officers Monitor Detainee in Glendale Hospital Lobby Amid Outcry

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and contracted detention guards have been stationed in the lobby of Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital to monitor Milagro Solis Portillo, an immigrant woman arrested by ICE and receiving treatment after a medical emergency tied to her detention. This continuous surveillance has sparked widespread outrage from nurses, immigrant rights activists, community leaders, and California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, who condemned the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement and called for legislation to limit ICE presence in hospital private areas. Advocates argue that the guards' presence creates a hostile environment for patients and staff, potentially violates HIPAA privacy laws, and compromises Portillo's ability to recover safely and with dignity. Dignity Health maintains that it cannot legally restrict law enforcement from public areas such as hospital lobbies, despite criticism that the hospital is collaborating with ICE. ICE officials defended their practices, emphasizing their commitment to humane treatment and medical care for detainees, while local leaders and activists continue to demand the removal of ICE personnel from the hospital to ensure safety and privacy for all patients. The case highlights ongoing tensions around immigration enforcement in healthcare settings under the current administration.