Federal Charges Filed Against Michigan Nurse Chloe Renae Freeman Over Hospital Escape
Federal prosecutors charged 33-year-old Michigan nurse Chloe Renae Freeman with a misdemeanor after she allegedly helped an injured undocumented immigrant escape from immigration officials while he was hospitalized in Ann Arbor, according to unsealed court records. The patient, a Mexican national identified in court documents as OBP, had been arrested by Customs and Border Protection agents during a targeted enforcement operation in late May. Border agents detained the man after he tripped over a curb while running from them, resulting in facial injuries that prompted emergency medical workers to recommend hospital treatment.
Medical Staff Discover Custody Status at Trinity Health Ann Arbor
Emergency responders transported OBP to Trinity Health Ann Arbor hospital, where medical staff noticed paperwork indicating the patient was in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Hospital staff sent the patient for a CT scan to evaluate his injuries. Investigators allege that Freeman entered the scan room after the procedure, disconnected the patient’s intravenous drip, and guided him toward the ambulance bay. Security camera footage included in the court records shows the patient leaving through the ambulance bay doors with a bandaged and bloody face. Law enforcement authorities have been unable to locate the man since his escape in May.
Investigator Interviews Reveal Anti-ICE Motivation
Hospital investigators interviewed Freeman in June regarding the patient’s departure, and she admitted to allowing the man to leave the facility, according to the FBI complaint. Freeman told investigators that she disagreed with federal immigration officials separating people from their families and stated that she intended to set the patient free, noting that his injuries were severe enough that he could have died without care. Trinity Health confirmed to Reuters that Freeman no longer works at the hospital, but declined further comment due to ongoing legal proceedings. Freeman voluntarily surrendered to authorities and made her first appearance in federal court on Tuesday, where a judge released her on a $10,000 bond. Her defense attorneys declined to make public statements regarding the misdemeanor charge of instigating or assisting an escape.
Federal Prosecutions Target Individuals Obstructing Immigration Enforcement
The case against Freeman represents the latest in a series of federal prosecutions targeting individuals accused of obstructing immigration enforcement as public scrutiny of the agency intensifies. While certain legal challenges against protesters and activists have faltered under judicial review, the Trump administration has secured convictions in other similar obstruction cases. A prominent recent example includes the conviction of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan in Wisconsin for attempting to help an immigrant evade federal agents inside a courthouse. The Department of Homeland Security referred all questions regarding the Michigan prosecution to the Justice Department, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.