John Korba Discusses Hospital Strategies for Immigration Enforcement Encounters
Foley & Lardner LLP of counsel John Korba was quoted in the Modern Healthcare article, “How should hospitals handle ICE enforcement? Lawyers weigh in,” discussing legal strategies for hospital leaders encountering U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
Korba said, “Federal agents may enter private areas if they are escorting a detainee receiving medical care, but they are not entitled to a patient’s private medical information.” He emphasized that “it is important not to obstruct in any way,” because doing so could expose hospital employees to the risk of arrest or similar legal consequences.
If the agents are unlawfully entering these areas, Korba advised promptly contacting another appropriate law enforcement agency and legal counsel, documenting the incident, requesting the agents’ names and badge numbers, and preserving any evidence, including video footage.
