A severe public health crisis is escalating in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as residents targeted by federal agents become too fearful to seek essential healthcare services. This alarming situation has prompted community organisations and medical providers to implement emergency measures, including home visits and telehealth appointments, to ensure vulnerable populations receive the care they desperately need.
Residents Avoiding Essential Medical Care
Angela Conley, the Hennepin County Commissioner for District 4, has reported a disturbing trend where residents are refusing to leave their homes for work, doctor appointments, routine checkups, and even scheduled surgeries. This fear stems from concerns over being targeted by federal agents based on skin colour, accent, or immigration status, leading to a dangerous avoidance of both routine and emergency healthcare.
Commissioner Conley emphasised the pervasive nature of this fear, stating that even legal permanent residents and United States citizens are afraid of being detained and potentially deported. The anxiety is so intense that pregnant patients are opting to labour at home, diabetic individuals are diluting or skipping insulin doses, and those with injuries or illnesses are postponing hospital visits and surgical procedures.
Healthcare Providers Sound the Alarm
Munira Maalimisaq, founder and CEO of the Inspire Change Clinic in Minneapolis, highlighted that even documented individuals and citizens are cancelling appointments. She warned that when people are too afraid to seek care, diseases worsen, emergencies increase, and unnecessary deaths occur. The immediate and long-term health dangers include increased stress, food insecurity, exacerbation of chronic illnesses, and a rise in acute medical emergencies.
Mary Turner, President of National Nurses United and an ICU nurse in the Minneapolis area, expressed grave concerns, stating that if people do not receive their medications and treatments, fatalities will inevitably follow. She dreads the prospect of discovering individuals dead in their homes due to fear of seeking medical assistance.
Community and Organisational Response
In response to this crisis, community organisations, local programmes, and volunteers have swiftly adapted by arranging home visits for medical care and offering telehealth services where appropriate. Neighbours are coordinating rides to clinics and hospitals, while also collecting prescriptions, groceries, formula, and diapers for those unable to venture out.
Erin Stevens, a physician in Minneapolis and member of the Committee to Protect Health Care, noted that efforts are being made to ensure hospitals are as safe as possible and to amplify existing systems for alternative care, such as telehealth, home health services, and prescription delivery.
Rapid Response Initiatives
Following a surge in cancelled appointments, Munira Maalimisaq established a rapid response unit at her clinic in December. This initiative gained momentum when she received a call about a nine-month pregnant woman who refused to go to the hospital by ambulance due to fear of being taken away during labour. Maalimisaq and an OB-GYN visited the woman, discovered she was 8cm dilated, and personally drove her to the hospital, where she safely delivered her baby.
The rapid response unit has since expanded, with over 150 local providers, including emergency physicians, cardiologists, and paediatricians, volunteering to deliver medications, check on patients, provide wound care, and offer emotional support. This collaborative effort aims to bridge the gap created by widespread fear.
Official Measures and Ongoing Challenges
Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis have launched Operation Reconnect, a 24/7 incident command centre designed to address public health needs during this crisis. The programme partners with neighbourhood organisations to facilitate food drives, clothing swaps, and transportation for medical visits.
Commissioner Conley urged residents to continue seeking healthcare, reassuring them that hospitals are safe spaces for emergency care. However, she acknowledged that for those unable to leave their homes, alternative arrangements will be made. Most clinic and hospital areas are considered private property, requiring federal agents to obtain signed judicial warrants for entry, and staff have been trained on how to respond if agents appear.
Broader Health and Safety Concerns
The healthcare crisis is compounded by the immediate dangers of clashes involving car crashes, teargas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets. Detainees report poor conditions and inadequate medical care, with notable cases such as a five-year-old asylum seeker who fell ill and was held in a facility experiencing a measles outbreak. Last year, there were 32 deaths in ICE custody, further highlighting the risks.
Healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, also fear detention, with the Department of Homeland Security auditing hospital employment records. At Mary Turner's hospital, workers are leaving sealed envelopes with their union representatives containing contact information and details about family members and pets, in case they suddenly disappear.
Despite these challenges, Munira Maalimisaq and her staff remain committed to their work, driven by the belief that healthcare must remain safe and accessible for everyone. She stated, "We as healthcare providers are using our voice. Healthcare needs to remain safe and accessible for everyone. We will do anything it takes to do that."
