St. Paul police reports obtained by Alpha News detail a series of unusual encounters at Regions Hospital involving hospital staff, high-ranking city officials, a state lawmaker, and a patient identified as being “in custody” — incidents that escalated to the point where officers threatened some members of a group with trespassing.
The reports, filed Jan. 2 and Jan. 10, describe hospital staff alerting police that city officials were en route to Regions Hospital amid concerns about law-enforcement activity, including references to a “federal warrant.”
The documents also raise questions about whether hospital employees shared information with outside parties.
In one incident, a state representative and the vice president of the St. Paul City Council arrived at the hospital after being told ICE agents were present.
In another, officers encountered an assistant city attorney for the City of St. Paul inside the emergency department lobby while a patient in federal custody was being discussed.
Jan. 2 police report
According to a Jan. 2 police report, hospital staff alerted police that they believed “a member of the St Paul City Council was on her way to Region’s Hospital because she believed ICE Agents were there.”
Shortly afterward, officers encountered a group standing in the emergency department lobby wearing visitor stickers but unable to identify the patient they were allegedly visiting.
Members of the group identified themselves as “the vice president of the St Paul City Council,” Hwa Jeong Kim, and “a state representative,” later identified as Rep. Liish Kozlowski, DFL-Duluth. Kim and Kozlowski were featured in a January Axios report conducting a “rapid response ICE watch shift” together.
“The group was asked repeatedly for a name of the patient they were visiting and they could not provide a name, only that they were visiting a loved one that they care about,” Sgt. Amy Rahlf wrote in her report. “It was explained to the group that … if they can’t provide a name, they would have to leave the hospital.”
“This was explained multiple times without the group moving from the lobby or giving a name,” the report says.
At that point, Rahlf added, “It was at this time that I believed the group was provided patient information by a hospital staff member.”
Police ultimately informed the group that visiting hours had ended and ordered them to leave the hospital, and they complied.
Another sergeant wrote in the report that she was assigned to review the case and “there was not a crime that was committed.”
Jan. 10 police report
A separate police report from Jan. 10 describes a strikingly similar encounter at Regions Hospital — again involving Council Member Kim and hospital staff — as well as the assistant city attorney. It’s unclear if the Jan. 2 and Jan. 10 incidents involved the same patient.
According to the report, Sgt. Rahlf was working policing duty at Regions Hospital when security staff informed her that “the Vice President of the City Council was in the lobby.”
Rahlf wrote that she recognized “Hwa Jeong Kim” from a prior encounter.
Hospital security advised police that there was family in the lobby “for a private patient and that Kim was there for the same private patient.”
“I was advised that the patient was in custody and per hospital policy, there are no visitors for in custody patients,” Rahlf wrote.
As security staff attempted to enforce those rules, Rahlf observed a Regions Hospital health unit coordinator and another registration staff member standing with visitors near the emergency department doors.
“I saw one of the visitors had a sticker for the room the private patient was in, and the coordinator was trying to bring them back through the doors,” Rahlf wrote.
Security ultimately ordered the group to leave, and they complied.
The situation escalated, however, when additional people arrived, including attorneys.
“One female handed her phone towards Security Supervisor Nhia and told him she has Edmundo Lijo, the assistant city attorney for the City of St Paul, on the phone,” the report states.
Over the phone, Lijo told security that “his office has communicated with Dr Skarda at Regions and she is communicating with hospital leadership about the federal warrant.”
Rahlf wrote that Dr. Skarda “has called and released information that there is a patient here,” and that Lijo “hesitated” before stating he believed Skarda was calling hospital leadership.
“Supervisor Nhia reiterated to the group that they all need to leave per hospital policy. I advised the group that if they did not leave, they would be trespassed,” Rahlf wrote.
At one point, someone in the group “began taking pictures and had to be asked to delete the pictures as there is no video or pictures in the hospital for HIPAA concerns.”
When Lijo later arrived at the hospital in person, Rahlf told him she could not release any information and that he would need to speak with the family directly.
Multiple additional attorneys also arrived before all parties eventually left the hospital without incident, according to the report.
Unanswered questions
The reports raise unanswered questions about whether hospital staff alerted city officials about law-enforcement activity involving a patient, and what role, if any, immigration enforcement or a “federal warrant” played in the hospital visits.
Neither report identifies the patient, the patient’s legal status, or the nature of the warrant referenced by the assistant city attorney.
Regions Hospital declined to address the specific incidents described in the police reports.
In a statement to Alpha News, the hospital said: “Regions Hospital does not comment on individual patient matters, law enforcement interactions, or statements attributed to hospital staff in police reports. The hospital follows all regulatory requirements to ensure compliance with HIPAA and applicable laws.”
Alpha News also contacted Kim and Lijo seeking comment regarding the incidents described in the police reports. Neither responded to requests for comment.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
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