Intensive care nurses at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis have expressed skepticism at Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) account of how a 31-year-old Mexican immigrant, Alberto Castañeda Mondragón, sustained severe skull and brain injuries while in federal custody. Court filings indicate ICE claimed he “purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall” while handcuffed. However, multiple hospital staff and an outside forensic pathologist have concluded that the extent of his injuries—eight skull fractures and multiple hemorrhages—are inconsistent with such a scenario

The man, who arrived in the U.S. in 2022 with valid documents and founded Castaneda Construction in St. Paul, was arrested Jan. 8 near a St. Paul shopping center. Within hours, he was hospitalized with swelling, bruising, and brain bleeding, prompting transfer to HCMC. Staff reported he was alert at first and said he had been “dragged and mistreated by federal agents,” although his condition later deteriorated significantly. These details are drawn from court filings and interviews with medical personnel who reviewed his CT scans and care records

ICE’s narrative of a self-inflicted injury was repeatedly challenged by healthcare professionals. One nurse told reporters, “It was laughable, if there was something to laugh about… there was no way this person ran headfirst into a wall.” An independent forensic pathologist agreed—remarking that skull fractures spanning both sides of the head could not plausibly be self-caused in such a manner. ICE has so far declined to comment on the case, and a deportation officer’s court filing merely stated that during intake, it was determined the detainee “had a head injury that required emergency medical treatment.”

The incident has intensified existing tensions between ICE and hospital staff. Witnesses report that agents have violated hospital policy by remaining at patients’ bedsides for extended periods, shackling detainees even when medically inappropriate, and loitering in non-public areas. Staff have resorted to encrypted messaging out of fear of surveillance. In response, HCMC issued a formal reminder that officers cannot access patients or private information without a warrant, and that restraints should only be used when medically necessary.

A week after his arrest, a federal judge ordered Castañeda Mondragón released from ICE custody. He has since been discharged from the hospital, though he suffers from significant memory loss and faces a lengthy recovery. With no family in Minnesota, local coworkers have taken him in as he continues to recover.

Why this matters to Cowlitz County readers: While this case took place in Minneapolis, it reflects critical issues for rural and urban communities alike—namely, the boundaries of federal law enforcement in healthcare settings, the dignity and rights of detained individuals, and the role of medical professionals as watchdogs when official narratives seem implausible. It underscores the importance of transparent and accountable processes when local institutions intersect with federal enforcement, and signals the need for vigilance to ensure community healthcare remains safe and patient-centered. If similar scenarios emerged here—within Kelso, Longview or elsewhere in Cowlitz County—local authorities, medical facilities, and civil rights organizations would need clear protocols to safeguard both medical ethics and civil liberties.