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Nithya Raman scorched for vicious attack on ICE agent operation in LA: ‘Facts matter’
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman criticised federal immigration agents after a confrontation outside a hospital, saying they obstructed emergency access and detained two US citizens. A senior federal prosecutor disputed her account, saying agents had brought a detainee to receive medical care and accusing protesters of creating a dangerous situation; the exchange highlights a dispute over immigration enforcement and the city’s role.
The incident took place on Friday night at Adventist Health White Memorial Medical Center in Boyle Heights. Hospital officials said agents blocked the ambulance entrance for about two hours, forcing ambulances to be rerouted; the detainee’s medical reason was not disclosed. Federal prosecutor Bill Essayli said agents called for backup and arrested two people accused of assaulting officers, while outgoing Mayor Karen Bass called for immigration enforcement to stop in and around healthcare facilities.
In short
- Raman condemned ICE after a hospital confrontation.
- A federal prosecutor challenged her account and defended the agents.
- Hospital officials said the ambulance entrance was blocked for about two hours.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Raman and Bass’s position is that hospitals must remain accessible and safe places to seek urgent care, and that federal operations should not obstruct ambulance routes or deter patients and families from attending. If hospital officials’ account is accurate, the reported two-hour blockage raises serious concerns about the operation’s effects on emergency access and the treatment of people nearby.
The case against
Federal authorities can argue that agents were bringing a detainee for medical care and had to respond to a volatile confrontation, including alleged assaults on officers. From this perspective, enforcing immigration law and protecting staff and patients can require a visible response; officials also have reason to challenge public claims they consider inaccurate, while the detainee’s medical circumstances and the full sequence of events remain unclear.