Armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been observed stationed in hospital hallways in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, according to a senior physician at a large hospital who requested anonymity due to concerns about potential targeting. The presence of federal agents within healthcare facilities is contributing to a growing crisis, as providers report a decline in patient numbers not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The increased ICE presence is a direct result of the Trump administration’s rescission in January of a Biden-era policy that prohibited immigration enforcement actions in “sensitive areas,” including hospitals, schools, and places of worship. The policy change has left healthcare workers grappling with a new reality where providing care may involve navigating interactions with federal law enforcement.
Providers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas have recently been instructed on how to manage interactions and requests from immigration authorities, CNN has learned. The physician in Minnesota stated that, until recently, involvement in immigration enforcement was not part of their job description. Patients are now entering the hospital already in the custody of ICE agents.
The situation is impacting more than just patient volume. Doctors are reporting effects on appointment schedules, vaccination rates, and even basic nutritional health. Concerns are mounting about the potential for serious long-term health consequences as individuals become increasingly reluctant to seek medical attention for fear of triggering immigration enforcement.
The disruptions in healthcare coincide with broader travel chaos across the United States. As of September 21, 2025, over 200 flights had been canceled and more than 2,700 delayed, stranding thousands of passengers. Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami were the most affected airports, with the disruptions largely attributed to ongoing technical failures in air traffic control systems. American Airlines, SkyWest, and United Airlines experienced the most significant impact.
Further compounding travel difficulties, a government shutdown in November 2025 led to hundreds of flight cuts at 40 of the busiest US airports, including those in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a 10% reduction in air traffic to maintain safety as air traffic controllers, working without pay, began calling out sick. The FAA is imposing these flight reductions to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers.
In Los Angeles, immigration advocacy groups held demonstrations in June 2025 in solidarity with similar protests, including one at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas.
