Michigan nurse charged with aiding immigrant's escape from ICE custody

A Michigan nurse has been charged with aiding the escape of an undocumented immigrant from federal custody at a hospital where she worked. Chloe Renae Freeman, 33, of Whitmore Lake, Michigan, faces charges for allegedly helping a Mexican national, who was subject to removal from the United States, flee from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital.

The incident occurred on May 28, when the unnamed immigrant injured himself while attempting to evade ICE agents and was taken to the hospital for medical evaluation. According to court documents unsealed on Tuesday, after the immigrant underwent a CT scan, Freeman removed him from the room. Security camera footage reportedly showed him leaving the hospital through ambulance bay doors less than three minutes later. He has not been located since.

During a June 18 interview, Freeman admitted to allowing the individual to leave, stating she did not believe he was in custody because agents were not physically present with him in the CT room. She also reportedly told interviewers that she disagreed with ICE's policy of separating families and that she knew she "was going to set him free." Freeman also expressed concern that the man might have died from his injuries.

Trinity Health confirmed that Freeman is no longer employed by the hospital. Her lawyer, Matthew Borgula, told the Detroit News that Freeman intended to plead not guilty. She was expected to appear in federal court in Detroit on Tuesday.