Arrest at NIH Hospital Sparks Outrage Over Immigration Enforcement in Medical Settings
- Natalie Frank
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Detention of patient seeking treatment raises fears among immigrant communities about access to essential care
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D August 8, 2025

BETHESDA, MD - ICE officials have arrested a woman who arrived at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) research hospital for medical treatment.
-
The patient, who was already under NIH care, was stopped at a security checkpoint when her state-issued driver’s license does not meet criteria for the new federal Real ID requirements.
NIH security staff, following protocol, ran her information through a database and discovered she had a currant removal order. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted, leading to her arrest before she could receive her scheduled treatment through the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
The NIH official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak publicly, said no name or date for the detention was listed in the internal document.
The Department of Homeland Security, NIH, and the Department of Health and Human Services declined or were not allowed to provide information or comment.
Maryland law allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, but these IDs do not necessarily meet the Real ID Act’s enhanced security standards, which Congress implemented to reduce document fraud. According to DHS, Real ID-compliant identification or equivalent documents, such as a passport, are required to access most federal facilities.
Hospitals and treatment centers have long been considered “sensitive locations,” places where immigration enforcement is generally not carried out to ensure that everyone feel safe seeking treatment regardless of legal status. Immigration and health advocates warn that incidents like this can result in a dangerous outcome by discouraging individuals from seeking life-saving care. This does not only include immigrants who do not have legal status but immigrants who have legal status but are wary that the government could decide to reverse it.
Under President Donald Trump’s current term, protections that previously limited ICE operations in "sensitive areas like hospitals", places of worship and schools, have been reversed, leading to an increase in ICE enforcement in those locations.