Attorneys, Relatives Struggle to Find Hospitalized ICE Detainees

Many hospitals refuse to provide information or allow contact with these patients.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Family members and attorneys for patients hospitalized after being detained by federal immigration officials said they are facing extreme difficulty trying to locate patients, get information about their well-being, and provide them emotional and legal support. Hospitals often restrict information sharing and access to these patients, citing safety and privacy concerns, even though immigration detention is civil, not criminal, detention.

Why it matters

This issue highlights concerns about the treatment of immigrants in detention and the lack of transparency and accountability around their medical care. It raises questions about the balance between hospital policies, patient rights, and law enforcement needs.

The details

Many hospitals refuse to provide information or allow contact with ICE detainees who are hospitalized, citing safety and privacy concerns. This can deprive patients of their constitutional right to seek legal advice and leave them vulnerable to abuse. Hospitals have used "blackout procedures" like registering patients under pseudonyms or prohibiting staff from confirming a patient's presence. While some states have enacted laws to protect immigrant patients, those policies do not address protections for people already in ICE custody.

  • On December 8, Julio César Peña was detained by immigration agents outside his home in Glendale, California.
  • On December 20, Peña suffered a severe seizure while hospitalized, but his family was not notified.
  • On January 5, Peña was finally cleared to go home after being hospitalized.

The players

Julio César Peña

A 43-year-old man with terminal kidney disease and a heart condition who was detained by ICE outside his home in Glendale, California.

Lydia Romero

Peña's wife, who has struggled to locate him and get information about his condition while he was hospitalized.

Viridiana Chabolla

Peña's attorney, who was unable to get information about his location or condition from the hospital or ICE.

Victor Valley Global Medical Center

The hospital where Peña was eventually located, though his family found him intubated and unconscious with his arm and leg handcuffed to the bed.

American Hospital Association

The organization that declined to comment on hospital practices related to patients in immigration custody.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What hospital are you at?”

— Lydia Romero, Peña's wife

“I can't tell you.”

— Julio César Peña

“They said even if they had a person in ICE custody under their care, they wouldn't be able to confirm whether he's there or not, that only ICE can give me the information.”

— Viridiana Chabolla, Peña's attorney

“We've heard incidences of this blackout process being used at multiple hospitals across the state, and it's very concerning.”

— Shiu-Ming Cheer, Deputy director of immigrant and racial justice at the California Immigrant Policy Center

“I was really disgusted. I felt like Legacy was doing massive human rights violations.”

— Blaire Glennon, Nurse who quit her job at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland

What’s next

No court date has been set for Peña, and his family is filing a petition to adjust his legal status based on his son's military service. Peña still faces deportation proceedings.

The takeaway

This case highlights the lack of transparency and accountability around the medical care of immigrants in detention, as well as the need to balance hospital policies, patient rights, and law enforcement needs. It raises concerns about the treatment of vulnerable detainees and the potential for abuse when their access to legal counsel and family support is restricted.