Stanford Hospital Staff Protest Administration's Complicity with ICE

Members of Stanford Hospital staff and more than 100 community members protested at a demonstration in Palo Alto on September 2nd. They called out the hospital administration for discharging East Palo Alto resident Aleyda Rodriguez to DHS before she was healthy, denying her visitation rights, and failing to inform the family of her release, amongst other things.

While family was initially able to visit Aleyda in the emergency department, they were quickly told they had to leave. Communication after that was no longer allowed, and armed federal agents appeared outside the victim's hospital room door. At times there were as many as 8 or 9 agents in the patient's room, reported her primary care physician Dr. Yusra Hussain at the rally. Dr. Hussain, who would normally have hospital privileges to visit her patient, was harassed by agents who even questioned her credentials, she said.

On August 29, Rodriguez was whisked away to an ICE detention facility in Bakersfield without family notification and while she was in a catatonic state, barely able to respond to questions by squeezing a hand. The doctor who allowed her release reportedly said, "I did nothing to jeopardize my license," when asked why this happened.

For 6 days Aug 25 through 30, community members gathered outside the hospital in protest showing up at different times each day, successfully getting the jump on hospital security and communications teams and refusing to disperse. No one was given permission to enter the hospital to check on the situation, and not even flower delivery allowed said a member of Rapid Response Network Santa Clara County. Daily community vigils were coordinated by activist group The Wolves with members of the Raging Grannies. Aleyda's family often visited the demonstrations and encouraged the singing of the co-organizers original songs calling out Stanford asking "where is your humanity?".

Stanford Healthcare Workers for Palestine who led the Sept 2nd demonstration are demanding that hospital administration hold a town hall by September 23. They say that if they do not organizers will hold their own public forum.

Rodriguez’s family, hospital workers, and local advocates demand the following of Stanford Hospital:
Visitation rights and legal access for patients
Accessible and private communication for patients
No ICE agents in patient care areas
No discharge of patients without a sound and ethical plan for continuation of care
Notification of family prior to discharge