Press Release

Nurses to hold emergency press conference denouncing ICE presence at Central Coast hospitals endangering patients, families, community

Hand holding signs "Nurses Say Abolish ICE"

Union nurses with California Nurses Association are holding an emergency press conference TODAY, at 3 p.m. to denounce the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  in the areas of Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, and Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville. Nurses are demanding that ICE or any federal immigration agents stay away from their hospitals and that their employers refuse to cooperate, that ICE get out of their communities, and ultimately that the agency be abolished. 

Nurses report seeing ICE vehicles and the arrest of at least one individual within the last 24 hours at Natividad Medical Center. A community member shared the video of an arrest this morning. The video can be seen here. This morning, several ICE vehicles were parked outside of Watsonville Community Hospital.  

What: Nurses denounce presence of ICE around Central Coast hospitals  
When: Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. 
Where: Watsonville Community Hospital, 75 Neilson St, Watsonville, CA


California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.