On Friday, January 23rd, Doctors Council, SEIU members and allies will join in coordinated solidarity with the people of Minnesota under the banner: ICE OUT! National Day of Truth and Freedom.

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As physicians and union members, we are heartbroken and outraged by the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a loving mother of three and valued community member, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis while returning home after dropping her child off at school. Renee was not the first person to die under ICE custody or enforcement in recent months, reflecting a disturbing pattern of harm and lack of accountability that jeopardizes families and community trust.

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We are aware that a fellow physician was a witness to Renee Good’s shooting. When they attempted to provide emergency medical assistance, they were prevented from doing so by ICE agents. The provision of medical care to any and all who need it is a sacred duty of physicians across the world. ICE agents preventing doctors from providing care underscores a deeply concerning failure by agents of our federal government to uphold fundamental responsibilities to human life and decency.

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Furthermore, last week, ICE entered a Hennepin County Medical Center hospital, handcuffed a patient to a bed, and remained for over 24 hours, all without a judicial warrant. ICE has no place in our hospitals. We urge municipal governments to adopt clear and comprehensive guidelines to deal with attempts by ICE to invade healthcare facilities.

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We join with fellow SEIU members and allies in Minnesota and across the country in making the following demands of ALL elected officials: 

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1. ICE Out. Immediately withdraw federal paramilitary forces from U.S. cities and hold officials accountable for lawlessness and violence.

2. Community safety in. End neighborhood dragnets, indiscriminate attacks on citizens or immigrants, masked arrests, and enforcement in schools or other safe spaces.

3. Restore our rights. Stop racial profiling, halt retaliation for lawful speech and protest, and rescind policies such as NSPM-7 that seek to stifle dissent.

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4. Fight back. Oppose any federal funding increase that doesn't restrain ICE abuses. Use state and local government resources to protect all community members, not for federal immigration enforcement.

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As healthcare workers, we see every day how fear and violence impact patients and their families. We stand with the Good Family and the people of Minnesota, and call for accountability, transparency, and policies that protect community health, safety, and dignity. And we stand with the frontline care workers — the physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians, allied health staff, and professional health students — who are working tirelessly to protect patients, colleagues, and community members.

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For our members in New York, please join us on 1/23 at 4pm at the North End of Union Square for the ICE OUT: Stand with Minneapolis March. We, our patients, and our communities, deserve to live without fear.

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