Local Hospitals React to Immigration Ban

Local hospitals say that they're taking a wait and see approach to how the ban will affect them.

DULUTH, Minn. – Area hospitals are taking a wait and see approach to the temporary immigration ban and they vow to help their patients and staff in whatever ways they can.

St. Luke’s said that they’re looking at the ban three different ways: how it affects their patients; their staff; and students in the area who are their future workforce.

While their patients, physicians, and staff come from all over the world, they believe that up to this point they have not been affected by the ban.

“We are as an institution really watching closely in working with our hospital association on a state level and a national level trying to estimate what the impact is going to be. We get a lot of different responses from a lot of different people,” said St. Luke’s CEO John Strange.

In a statement the Dr. David Herman, CEO of Essentia stated this: “Essentia would not be able to meet our obligation to our patients without colleagues who were born outside the United States and have dedicated their expertise and service to our communities.”

President Trump’s executive order kept travelers from seven different countries from entering the United States for ninety days and all refugees for 120 days.

The original suit was brought against the administration by Minnesota and Washington. Some believe that the case could go all the way to the Supreme Court.