A Michigan registered nurse, Chloe Renae Freeman, has been federally charged with a misdemeanor after authorities say she helped an injured Mexican national in Border Patrol custody leave Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital on May 28, according to court filings and an affidavit submitted by the FBI.
What Prosecutors Allege
Federal court records identify the detainee only by the initials "OBP" and describe him as a Mexican national who had been removed from the United States in December 2022 and had not been authorized to reapply for admission. U.S. Border Patrol agents say they encountered the man near Washtenaw Avenue and Pittsfield Boulevard around 9 p.m. on May 28, and that he ran, tripped over a curb and struck his face on the pavement.
Agents allege they took the man into custody, observed bleeding from his head, provided first aid for cuts and a contusion, and sent him to Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital for further evaluation while he remained in Border Patrol custody. The government describes this as an administrative immigration detention rather than a criminal arrest.
Alleged Hospital Incident
According to an affidavit filed Aug. 28 by FBI Special Agent Michael Wagner, hospital staff ordered a CT scan. A CT technologist told investigators that after the scan two nurses, including Freeman, instructed the technologist to keep the patient in the CT room rather than returning him to his hospital room. The affidavit says Freeman later returned, used her badge to enter the CT room at about 11:31 p.m., removed the patient's IV and escorted him out through the ambulance bay doors roughly one minute later, as shown on security footage cited by investigators.
"Freeman told the interviewers that she did not agree with ICE separating people from their families and that she knew she 'was going to set him free,'" the affidavit states.
Investigation, Charge, And Hospital Response
Freeman, 33, of Whitmore Lake, was charged on Aug. 28 with instigating or assisting the escape of a person under arrest, a federal misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine. Freeman has not been convicted; the criminal complaint represents the government's allegations. During a June 18 interview with hospital investigators, the affidavit says Freeman admitted allowing the man to leave and acknowledged his injuries could have been life-threatening.
Trinity Health told Reuters that Freeman is no longer employed by the hospital. Authorities said they had been unable to locate the detainee as of the filing of the complaint.
Legal Proceedings and Context
Freeman made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David R. Grand on Sept. 29 and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary examination is scheduled for Oct. 20. News outlets and the affidavit note the broader context of expanded immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, including a Jan. 20, 2025 directive that rescinded previous restrictions on enforcement in sensitive locations such as hospitals, schools and places of worship.
Notes on Sources and Presumption of Innocence
The account above is based on the criminal complaint and affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and statements to news organizations. Freeman is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
