A heavily pregnant woman arrived at a Colorado hospital in early September expecting a normal delivery. Within minutes, however, her case veered into unexpected territory—not because of her medical condition alone, but because of the surveillance device strapped to her wrist.
According to hospital staff who assisted her, she walked into the emergency obstetrics unit wearing a government-issued smartwatch mandated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The device, which tracks migrants enrolled in federal monitoring programs, was running low on battery and repeatedly emitted warning beeps. The woman, originally from central Asia, grew frightened that a dying battery might be interpreted as an attempt to evade supervision. She explained that she had recently been placed on a deportation flight but was ultimately removed because she was too close to giving birth.
Doctors soon determined she needed an emergency C-section. Standard protocol requires that all metal objects be removed before surgery, but the ICE-issued watch could not be taken off without authorization. Hospital staff struggled to identify whether the device could safely remain in place during the procedure and were unsure how to reach ICE for instructions. When medical workers told the woman they might need to cut the strap, her fear intensified.
Eventually, hospital staff removed the device themselves. ICE agents did not appear, and the baby was delivered safely. Staff members said they were not informed of what happened to the woman after she left the hospital.
She was not the only one. In the span of a few months, the same Colorado emergency department encountered three pregnant patients wearing similar trackers.
Surveillance Expands Into Maternity Wards
The wrist-mounted tracker, known as the VeriWatch, is produced by BI Inc—a private monitoring firm that operates the federal government’s largest immigrant surveillance program. The watch is part of ICE’s Alternative to Detention (ATD) system, which allows migrants to live outside detention centers while complying with strict monitoring requirements.
People in ATD may be assigned ankle monitors, smartphone-based facial recognition check-ins, scheduled visits to ICE offices, or the VeriWatch itself. Introduced two years ago, the watch was initially promoted as a subtler alternative to ankle monitors, which migrants have often described as stigmatizing and physically uncomfortable.
Roughly 200,000 migrants are now enrolled in ATD nationwide. But fear within the program has escalated as the Trump administration intensifies deportation operations. In several cases, migrants have appeared for routine check-ins only to be detained on the spot.
Hospital workers said pregnant patients wearing these monitors often hesitate to remove them, even when required for emergency procedures. One woman with pre-eclampsia—a dangerous condition marked by swelling and high blood pressure—needed an urgent C-section. Staff worried the tight band could restrict circulation, but she resisted taking it off out of fear that doing so would trigger an alert or prompt ICE officers to intervene.
Clinicians said these fears created delays that could have put the women at risk, emphasizing how even brief hold-ups during labor can become life-threatening. They noted that when patients arrive wearing monitoring devices issued by state corrections departments, clear removal protocols exist. No such guidelines are available for ICE-issued devices.
Immigration Crackdowns Deter Patients From Seeking Care
Healthcare providers across the United States report that heightened immigration enforcement is discouraging migrants from seeking medical care, especially prenatal services.
In Colorado, hospital staff observed multiple pregnant patients arriving for their first prenatal visit only weeks before delivery—long after recommended timelines. In California, nurses reported a notable decline in immigrants attending routine visits or vaccinations. Medical leaders said these delays often lead to patients arriving at emergency rooms in crisis.
Chicago’s CommunityHealth clinic, one of the country’s largest volunteer-based health centers, recorded steep drops in patient activity between 2024 and 2025. The organization documented a substantial decline in appointment attendance and medication pickups after Trump returned to office, tying the trend to intensified immigration enforcement in the city.
ICE and BI Inc did not comment on the issues raised, though ICE has previously asserted that ATD devices do not cause physical harm and that the program helps ensure migrants appear for immigration hearings.
Detention Risks Increase During Medical Emergencies
The complications extend beyond pregnant women. In July 2025, a Bangladeshi asylum seeker wearing an ankle monitor sought its removal due to nerve damage in his leg. Despite providing medical documentation, he received no response from ICE. When he later visited a BI office for a scheduled check-in, he attempted again to request assistance. Instead, ICE officers arrived and detained him, according to a court filing reviewed by advocates.
Although ICE previously halted ankle monitor use for pregnant women and certain medically vulnerable individuals, immigrant-rights groups and former BI staff say these exceptions are not always upheld. The exemption also does not apply to the VeriWatch, meaning pregnant women in the ATD system are routinely assigned non-removable wrist devices.
Former DHS employees said ICE intentionally selected a version of the watch that migrants cannot remove. They added that BI staff members are not allowed to authorize removal on their own, even when emergency care is at stake.
