Hospitals, Custody, and the Missing Patient
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By
January 30, 2026
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11 min
Julio César Peña, recently detained by immigration agents in California, suffered a ministroke while in hospital custody, unable to communicate his location to his wife, Lydia Romero. Attorney Viridiana Chabolla struggled to obtain information about Peña's health, facing hospital policies that prevent sharing details of ICE detainees. Hospitals often employ blackout procedures, limiting contact and potentially violating patients' rights. Advocacy groups highlight these practices as problematic, emphasizing the need for reforms to improve the treatment and rights of individuals in immigration custody when receiving medical care.
1. Julio César Peña was detained and hospitalized after a ministroke. 2. Hospitals implement blackout procedures limiting family access to ICE detainees. 3. Advocacy groups are alarmed by the treatment of patients in ICE custody. 4. Some state laws aim to protect patients from immigration enforcement in healthcare settings. 5. Peña's family could not find him due to the hospital's policies, delaying contact during a health crisis.
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