Adventist Health White Memorial Reaffirms Patient Privacy Amidst ICE Concerns
Meta Description: Adventist Health White Memorial is responding to reports of ICE interference in patient care with new policies and signage, but community advocates say more is needed to protect vulnerable patients.
Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights is taking steps to reinforce its commitment to patient privacy following allegations of interference by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The hospital announced new measures, including the posting of signs clarifying the interaction between law enforcement and patients, after reports surfaced that administrators had allowed federal agents to impede medical decisions and obstruct treatment for detainees requiring emergency care.
The reports sparked significant alarm within the community, prompting calls for hospital leadership to unequivocally uphold patient privacy and ensure staff can advocate for patients without fear of reprisal. An online petition, “ICE Out of White Memorial,” has already garnered hundreds of signatures, according to organizers.
On November 21, Adventist Health released a six-point statement detailing policies designed to protect patients and support staff. These measures explicitly state that staff members are empowered to speak up if patient rights are violated and will not face retaliation for requesting ICE agents to step away from patient care. The hospital encourages staff to report any perceived violations of patient rights, according to the release.
Furthermore, the statement indicates that nursing and clinical care teams “routinely ask ICE agents to leave the room during care so patients can maintain privacy and feel safe when receiving medical care.” A hospital spokesperson affirmed, “We support our staff when they speak up for patients’ needs,” adding that the hospital maintains open lines of communication with patient families. “We have case management and escalation processes for our physicians and staff to be able to contact families and coordinate care,” the release stated.
The statement followed reporting by LAist, which revealed concerns among doctors that hospital administrators were deferring to ICE’s judgment and hindering their ability to provide appropriate emergency care to detainees. White Memorial, part of a network of private, nonprofit hospitals affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has served the Boyle Heights community for over a century.
LAist’s investigation also found that White Memorial staff members who challenge immigration agents – by requesting identification or asking them to leave during examinations – fear potential repercussions and question whether the hospital will support them in the event of a conflict. Doctors also expressed being prevented from contacting family members to obtain crucial medical information or simply to inform them about a loved one’s condition.
However, despite the November 21 statement, doctors speaking to Boyle Heights Beat reported that ICE continues to interfere with patient care. This apparent contradiction has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the hospital’s new policies. Physicians claim they have been instructed to route all communication with patient family members through the hospital’s case management system, which then requires ICE’s permission – permission that can be denied.
Community advocates have expressed reservations about the hospital’s approach, arguing that the recent statement, while a step in the right direction, does not go far enough. Raquel Roman, executive director of Proyecto Pastoral, which operates the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network, acknowledged White Memorial’s efforts but emphasized the need for “clear rules prohibiting agents from entering patient care areas.”
“At a time when moral clarity is needed, leaving these decisions to individual care teams creates grave ambiguity. Hospitals need to be havens of healing,” Roman stated. “When people are scared to seek life-saving care, there is no impartial position. We cherish our collaboration with White Memorial. But we can’t stand by and watch while our neighbors have to decide between their safety and health.”
The hospital’s response also highlights the influence of community pressure following the initial reports. On November 5, stakeholders from the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network presented a series of demands to hospital leaders, including Kerry Heinrich, president and chief executive officer of Adventist Health System, and John Raffoul, president of Adventist Health White Memorial.
These demands included a complete ban on immigration agents from patient rooms during medical consultations and procedures. In a November 12 memo, White Memorial thanked community leaders for their feedback and outlined five key points, reiterating its commitment to patient privacy, collaborative care decisions, and non-interference from law enforcement. It also affirmed that staff could contact families “through the right process” when medically necessary.
However, members of the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network deemed the memo insufficient, describing it as a “good first attempt” that still contained “a lot of gray area” and represented the “bare minimum.” Henry Perez, executive director of InnerCity Struggle, asserted that protecting patient privacy should already be a fundamental priority for any hospital.
Adventist Health maintains that the recent statement builds upon existing practices and incorporates changes made in response to community concerns. The updated signage, as referenced in the news release, was scheduled to be printed and posted by Monday evening.
“We have and will continue to review our policies and practices – including those guiding detainee and patient privacy – so that every patient, family member, and staff member at White Memorial feels safe and respected in our hospital,” the press release concluded. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing scrutiny from both the medical community and local advocacy groups as they monitor the implementation of these new policies and their impact on patient care.
