Nurses to Protest Against ICE at Florida Hospitals

National Nurses United calls for nationwide day of action against immigration enforcement agencies

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A national group of unionized nurses, National Nurses United, is organizing protests at hospitals across the country, including several locations in Florida, on February 19th. The nurses are demanding that Congress stop funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol, and that ICE be abolished, citing concerns for the health and safety of patients and communities.

Why it matters

The protests highlight growing tensions between healthcare workers and immigration enforcement agencies, with nurses arguing that the presence of ICE and border patrol officials at hospitals undermines patient trust and creates an unsafe environment. The nurses' calls to defund and abolish ICE reflect a broader debate over the role and tactics of federal immigration enforcement.

The details

National Nurses United, a national union of registered nurses, is organizing the protests to take place on February 19th at hospitals in several Florida cities, including Fort Myers/Naples, Orlando, and Tampa/St. Petersburg. The nurses are demanding that Congress stop funding ICE and Customs and Border Patrol, and that ICE be abolished altogether, citing concerns that the agencies' presence and actions are harmful to patients and communities.

  • The protests are scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026.

The players

National Nurses United

A national union of registered nurses organizing the protests against ICE and border patrol presence at hospitals.

Mary Turner

An intensive care unit RN from Minneapolis, Minnesota and the president of National Nurses United.

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What they’re saying

“We are way past the point of 'reform.' Reform only works when you care about abiding by and enforcing the law. Nurses make professional assessments and this is what we conclude: ICE and border patrol are violent, cruel, lawless, and racist organizations that the Trump administration is using as a paramilitary force to ultimately quash the American people's opposition to his fascist takeover of our democracy.”

— Mary Turner, President, National Nurses United (jacksonville.com)

“Our hospital CEOs are at fault, too, for enabling Trump by doing nothing. We all need to wake up and shut ICE down now before it is too late.”

— Mary Turner, President, National Nurses United (jacksonville.com)

What’s next

The nurses are calling on Congress to take immediate action to defund ICE and Customs and Border Patrol, and to abolish ICE altogether.

The takeaway

The protests by National Nurses United highlight the growing divide between healthcare workers and federal immigration enforcement agencies, with nurses arguing that the presence of ICE and border patrol at hospitals undermines patient trust and creates an unsafe environment. The nurses' demands to defund and abolish ICE reflect a broader debate over the role and tactics of immigration enforcement in the United States.