Nurses on California’s Central Coast held an emergency press conference and rally on Tuesday, 27 October, after reports of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles near two hospitals. Officials say no agents were confirmed on hospital grounds, but the incident shows how immigration enforcement is affecting health care, and nurses’ role in it.
What nurses reported
The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) said in a press release that within the previous 24 hours, nurses had seen ICE vehicles at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas and the arrest of at least one person there, and that on the morning of 27 October several ICE vehicles were parked outside Watsonville Community Hospital. The union demanded that federal immigration agents stay away from hospitals and that employers refuse to cooperate with them.
About 25 nurses and staff rallied at Watsonville Community Hospital, according to the local newspaper The Pajaronian. ICU nurse Roseann Farris said: “We need to make sure our community knows that our patients are safe here.” Jean Marll, a nurse at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center, said: “ICE needs to stay out of our hospitals.” Labour and delivery nurse Darla Contreras said she wanted to protect patients who fear seeking care.
What officials said
Tony Nuñez, board chair of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, which runs Watsonville Community Hospital, said: “At no point throughout today did the hospital see any sort of verified presence of ICE.” The hospital’s cameras showed vehicles reported by staff driving through the car park. The hospital issued a “Code Harbor” alert and partially closed, and Nuñez said nurses followed the protocol correctly. Volunteers from a local rapid response group found no agents during checks that day.
Monterey County spokesman Nicholas Pasculli said ICE agents were seen behind Natividad at the adjacent Monterey County Jail, not at the hospital, which he said “remains completely safe, open and dedicated to its mission.” The jail was placed on temporary lockdown. Local television reported that a person identifying as an ICE agent said they were there for a targeted enforcement operation. No statement from ICE or the Department of Homeland Security was included in the reports.
Why nurses are speaking out
Health workers in the US have reported that fear of immigration enforcement is causing some patients to skip appointments, delay emergency care, or avoid antenatal visits. Under the Trump administration, a long-standing federal policy that treated hospitals as “sensitive locations” where enforcement was generally avoided was rescinded in January 2025, giving agents more latitude. Several states and many hospitals have since adopted protocols on how staff should respond if agents arrive.
What nurses should know
- Know your hospital’s protocol for law enforcement and immigration agents (such as a code alert), and who to call (usually security and the administrator on duty).
- Patient privacy rules still apply. Don’t share patient information or allow access to restricted clinical areas without proper authorisation; refer requests to the designated person.
- Keep caring. Emergency treatment obligations under federal law (EMTALA) apply regardless of immigration status.
- Internationally educated nurses on work visas should know their own rights and keep immigration documents up to date, and seek legal advice if worried.
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Sources: National Nurses United press release (27 October 2026); The Pajaronian (27 October 2026).