Nurse accused of helping immigrant flee ICE
A nurse from Michigan was accused of helping a Mexican immigrant flee ICE custody inside the hospital where she worked. According to the FBI, Chloe Renae Freeman, 33, removed the man from the examination room and allowed him to leave the premises. The case occurred in May, but judicial documents were released on Tuesday (29).
A nurse was accused of helping a Mexican immigrant escape the custody of the Estados Unidos (ICE) Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service inside the hospital where she worked. The case took place in May in Michigan, and court documents were released on Tuesday.
Chloe Renae Freeman, 33, was charged in late August with “deliberately” helping the man escape federal custody at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital. According to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI, he was subject to deportation.
Leak occurred after CT scan
The man had been injured while trying to flee ICE agents on May 28. He was taken to the hospital where the nurse was working for a medical evaluation and underwent a CT scan.
After the exam, Chloe pulled the immigrant out of the room, according to the complaint. Security camera footage shows the man leaving the hospital through the ambulance area doors less than three minutes later.
The sequence of events indicates that the exit was quick and unhindered, raising questions about the safety protocols for detainees in federal custody in hospital environments.
The nurse admitted that she had allowed him out.
According to FBI Special Agent Michael Wagner, Chloe admitted in an interview on June 18 that she allowed the man to leave the hospital. She said she knew he was an ICE detainee, but said she did not believe the man was in custody at the time because the agents were not physically with him in the CT room.
In the interview, Chloe also said she did not agree with ICE's separation of people from their families and that she knew it would "liberate him," Wagner said. The nurse said she believed the man could have died from the injuries.
These statements suggest that the motivation of the nurse was humanitarian, although the formal accusation is of aiding the escape of a detainee in federal custody.
Hospital protests and lawyer denies guilt
Trinity Health reported that Chloe no longer works at the hospital. The institution did not detail whether the departure was a resignation or a request for resignation, but confirmed the professional’s termination.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a lawyer for Chloe did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and a lawyer for Freeman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The nurse is due to appear in federal court in Detroit on Tuesday, according to the Detroit News. Her lawyer, Matthew Borgula, told the newspaper that she intends to plead not guilty.
Next steps of the case
The case now goes to the judicial sphere, where Chloe’s defense will be expected to present its arguments. The indictment is for aiding the escape of a detainee in federal custody, a crime that can result in prison sentences and fines under U.S. law.
The immigrant who fled has not been located so far, according to available information. Federal authorities continue to search, but have not released details of the man's whereabouts.
The episode rekindles the debate about the role of ICE in health environments and the limits of the responsibility of medical professionals in relation to patients in custody. The source did not detail whether there will be any further hearings or deadlines for the trial.
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