Bulwark Takes ‘The Pitt’ Star Ned Brower Knew the ICE Episode Was Important (w/ Ned Brower & Karen Tulin)
Apr 11, 2026
Karen Tumlin, founder of the Justice Action Center and immigration attorney, and Ned Brower, actor and practicing nurse/EMT, discuss ICE showing up in hospitals. They cover the policy shift ending sensitive-location protections. They explore healthcare workers' reactions, storytelling's impact on public empathy, and practical ways communities can support affected families.
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Sensitive Locations Policy Ended ICE Hospital Immunity
- ICE enforcement in medical and educational settings was rare for 30 years due to a longstanding sensitive locations policy.
- That policy was rescinded on Inauguration Day, after which ICE began entering hospitals, schools, and parking lots, chilling care and violating norms.
Actor Ned Brower Received Real Health Worker Responses
- Ned Brower drew on his real nursing background and reactions from health workers after the episode aired.
- He received fan letters and firsthand stories from doctors and nurses confirming HIPAA violations and psychosocial harm depicted onscreen.
ICE Presence Harms Psychosocial Care And Ethics
- ICE presence in hospitals undermines the psychosocial component of care and conflicts with medical ethics.
- Karen and Ned highlight HIPAA and the Hippocratic oath being compromised when immigration agents question staff or detain patients.