A Mexican immigrant was taken to a Minneapolis hospital earlier this month after bones in his face and cranium have been damaged whereas he was in federal custody.Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers initially claimed Alberto Castañeda Mondragón had tried to flee whereas handcuffed and “purposefully ran headfirst right into a brick wall,” in line with court docket paperwork filed by a lawyer searching for his launch.Video above: Analyzing DHS use-of-force coverage after 2 lethal Minneapolis shootingsBut workers members at Hennepin County Medical Heart decided that might not probably account for the fractures and bleeding all through the 31-year-old man’s mind, mentioned three nurses accustomed to the case.”It was laughable, if there was one thing to chortle about,” mentioned one of many nurses, who spoke to The Related Press on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to debate affected person care. “There was no manner this particular person ran headfirst right into a wall.”This is what to know in regards to the case, which gives an instance of current run-ins between immigration officers and well being care staff which have contributed to mounting friction at Minneapolis hospitals. The AP interviewed a physician and 5 nurses who work at HCMC, who spoke on situation of anonymity to speak about Castañeda Mondragón’s case. AP additionally consulted with an out of doors doctor, they usually all affirmed that his accidents have been inconsistent with an unintended fall or operating right into a wall.ICE’s account of how he was harm developed in the course of the time that federal officers have been at his bedside. A minimum of one ICE officer advised caregivers that Castañeda Mondragón “received his (expletive) rocked” after his Jan. 8 arrest close to a St. Paul purchasing middle, the court docket filings and a hospital workers member mentioned. His arrest occurred a day after the primary of two deadly shootings in Minneapolis by immigration officers.The Division of Homeland Safety, which incorporates ICE, didn’t reply to repeated requests for touch upon his accidents. A deportation officer skirted the difficulty within the court docket paperwork, saying that in the course of the consumption course of at an ICE detention middle, it was decided he “had a head harm that required emergency medical remedy.” Gregorio Castañeda Mondragón mentioned his older brother is from Veracruz, Mexico, and labored as a roofer. He has a 10-year-old daughter residing in his hometown he helps help.In response to his attorneys, Castañeda Mondragón entered the U.S. in 2022 with legitimate immigration paperwork. Minnesota incorporation filings present he based an organization referred to as Castaneda Development the next yr with an deal with listed in St. Paul. He seems to don’t have any felony report.His attorneys advised a court docket that Castañeda Mondragón was racially profiled in the course of the crackdown, and that officers decided solely after his arrest that he had overstayed his visa.”He was a brown-skinned, Latino Spanish speaker at a location immigration brokers arbitrarily determined to focus on,” his attorneys wrote in a petition searching for his launch from ICE custody. Castañeda Mondragón was initially taken to an ICE processing middle on the fringe of Minneapolis. Court docket information embody an arrest warrant signed upon his arrival by an ICE officer, not an immigration choose.About 4 hours after his arrest, he was taken to a hospital emergency room in suburban Edina with swelling and bruising round his proper eye and bleeding. A CT scan revealed a minimum of eight cranium fractures and life-threatening hemorrhages in a minimum of 5 areas of his mind, in line with court docket paperwork. He was then transferred to HCMC.Castañeda Mondragón was alert and talking, telling workers he was “dragged and mistreated by federal brokers,” although his situation shortly deteriorated, the paperwork mentioned.The next week, a Jan. 16 court docket submitting described his situation as minimally responsive and communicative, disoriented and closely sedated.On Saturday, greater than two weeks after Castañeda Mondragón was arrested, a U.S. District Court docket choose ordered him launched from ICE custody.To the shock of some who handled him, Castañeda Mondragón was discharged from the hospital Tuesday. The hospital spokeswoman mentioned she had no details about his present situation or location.On Wednesday, attorneys for the Justice Division filed paperwork affirming to the choose who ordered Castañeda Mondragón’s launch that he’s now not in federal custody.His youthful brother mentioned Castañeda Mondragón has no household in Minnesota and that coworkers have taken him in. He has important reminiscence loss and an extended restoration forward. He will not have the ability to work for the foreseeable future, and his family and friends fear about paying for his care.”He nonetheless does not keep in mind issues that occurred. I feel (he remembers) 20% of the 100% he had,” mentioned Gregorio Castañeda Mondragón, who lives in Mexico. ICE officers have entered the hospital with severely injured detainees and stayed at their bedside day after day, staffers mentioned. The crackdown has been unsettling to hospital staff, who mentioned ICE brokers have been seen loitering on hospital grounds and asking sufferers and staff for proof of citizenship. Hospital workers members mentioned they have been uncomfortable with the presence of armed brokers they didn’t belief and who gave the impression to be untrained.The nurses interviewed by AP mentioned they felt intimidated by ICE’s presence within the essential care unit and had even been advised to keep away from a sure lavatory to attenuate encounters with officers. They mentioned workers members are utilizing an encrypted messaging app to match notes and share info out of concern that the federal government could be monitoring their communications.The hospital reminded staff that ICE officers should not permitted to entry sufferers or protected info with out a warrant or court docket order.”Sufferers beneath federal custody are before everything sufferers,” hospital officers wrote in a bulletin outlining new protocols. The hospital’s written coverage additionally states that no shackles or different restraints must be used until medically needed.”We have now our insurance policies, however ICE personnel as federal officers do not essentially adjust to these, and that introduces stress,” mentioned a physician who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to remark for the hospital.Hospital spokeswoman Alisa Harris mentioned ICE brokers “haven’t entered our services on the lookout for people.”___Mustian reported from New York, and Biesecker reported from Washington.
A Mexican immigrant was taken to a Minneapolis hospital earlier this month after bones in his face and cranium have been damaged whereas he was in federal custody.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers initially claimed Alberto Castañeda Mondragón had tried to flee whereas handcuffed and “purposefully ran headfirst right into a brick wall,” in line with court docket paperwork filed by a lawyer searching for his launch.
Video above: Analyzing DHS use-of-force coverage after 2 lethal Minneapolis shootings
However workers members at Hennepin County Medical Heart decided that might not probably account for the fractures and bleeding all through the 31-year-old man’s mind, mentioned three nurses accustomed to the case.
“It was laughable, if there was one thing to chortle about,” mentioned one of many nurses, who spoke to The Related Press on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to debate affected person care. “There was no manner this particular person ran headfirst right into a wall.”
This is what to know in regards to the case, which gives an instance of current run-ins between immigration officers and well being care staff which have contributed to mounting friction at Minneapolis hospitals.
The AP interviewed a physician and 5 nurses who work at HCMC, who spoke on situation of anonymity to speak about Castañeda Mondragón’s case. AP additionally consulted with an out of doors doctor, they usually all affirmed that his accidents have been inconsistent with an unintended fall or operating right into a wall.
ICE’s account of how he was harm developed in the course of the time that federal officers have been at his bedside. A minimum of one ICE officer advised caregivers that Castañeda Mondragón “received his (expletive) rocked” after his Jan. 8 arrest close to a St. Paul purchasing middle, the court docket filings and a hospital workers member mentioned. His arrest occurred a day after the primary of two deadly shootings in Minneapolis by immigration officers.
The Division of Homeland Safety, which incorporates ICE, didn’t reply to repeated requests for touch upon his accidents. A deportation officer skirted the difficulty within the court docket paperwork, saying that in the course of the consumption course of at an ICE detention middle, it was decided he “had a head harm that required emergency medical remedy.”
Gregorio Castañeda Mondragón mentioned his older brother is from Veracruz, Mexico, and labored as a roofer. He has a 10-year-old daughter residing in his hometown he helps help.
In response to his attorneys, Castañeda Mondragón entered the U.S. in 2022 with legitimate immigration paperwork. Minnesota incorporation filings present he based an organization referred to as Castaneda Development the next yr with an deal with listed in St. Paul. He seems to don’t have any felony report.
His attorneys advised a court docket that Castañeda Mondragón was racially profiled in the course of the crackdown, and that officers decided solely after his arrest that he had overstayed his visa.
“He was a brown-skinned, Latino Spanish speaker at a location immigration brokers arbitrarily determined to focus on,” his attorneys wrote in a petition searching for his launch from ICE custody.
Castañeda Mondragón was initially taken to an ICE processing middle on the fringe of Minneapolis. Court docket information embody an arrest warrant signed upon his arrival by an ICE officer, not an immigration choose.
About 4 hours after his arrest, he was taken to a hospital emergency room in suburban Edina with swelling and bruising round his proper eye and bleeding. A CT scan revealed a minimum of eight cranium fractures and life-threatening hemorrhages in a minimum of 5 areas of his mind, in line with court docket paperwork. He was then transferred to HCMC.
Castañeda Mondragón was alert and talking, telling workers he was “dragged and mistreated by federal brokers,” although his situation shortly deteriorated, the paperwork mentioned.
The next week, a Jan. 16 court docket submitting described his situation as minimally responsive and communicative, disoriented and closely sedated.
On Saturday, greater than two weeks after Castañeda Mondragón was arrested, a U.S. District Court docket choose ordered him launched from ICE custody.
To the shock of some who handled him, Castañeda Mondragón was discharged from the hospital Tuesday. The hospital spokeswoman mentioned she had no details about his present situation or location.
On Wednesday, attorneys for the Justice Division filed paperwork affirming to the choose who ordered Castañeda Mondragón’s launch that he’s now not in federal custody.
His youthful brother mentioned Castañeda Mondragón has no household in Minnesota and that coworkers have taken him in. He has important reminiscence loss and an extended restoration forward. He will not have the ability to work for the foreseeable future, and his family and friends fear about paying for his care.
“He nonetheless does not keep in mind issues that occurred. I feel (he remembers) 20% of the 100% he had,” mentioned Gregorio Castañeda Mondragón, who lives in Mexico.
ICE officers have entered the hospital with severely injured detainees and stayed at their bedside day after day, staffers mentioned. The crackdown has been unsettling to hospital staff, who mentioned ICE brokers have been seen loitering on hospital grounds and asking sufferers and staff for proof of citizenship.
Hospital workers members mentioned they have been uncomfortable with the presence of armed brokers they didn’t belief and who gave the impression to be untrained.
The nurses interviewed by AP mentioned they felt intimidated by ICE’s presence within the essential care unit and had even been advised to keep away from a sure lavatory to attenuate encounters with officers. They mentioned workers members are utilizing an encrypted messaging app to match notes and share info out of concern that the federal government could be monitoring their communications.
The hospital reminded staff that ICE officers should not permitted to entry sufferers or protected info with out a warrant or court docket order.
“Sufferers beneath federal custody are before everything sufferers,” hospital officers wrote in a bulletin outlining new protocols. The hospital’s written coverage additionally states that no shackles or different restraints must be used until medically needed.
“We have now our insurance policies, however ICE personnel as federal officers do not essentially adjust to these, and that introduces stress,” mentioned a physician who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to remark for the hospital.
Hospital spokeswoman Alisa Harris mentioned ICE brokers “haven’t entered our services on the lookout for people.”
___
Mustian reported from New York, and Biesecker reported from Washington.
