By Justin Gill & Chris Tarver
Hello, Meidas Mighty!
My name is Justin Gill, nurse practitioner and President of the Washington State Nurses Association. I’m joined by my colleague Chris Tarver, a nurse and President of American Nurses Association\California.
Some of you may recall a previous Meidas+ post demanding change after the tragic killing of nurse Alex Pretti. We now ask this community to stand with nurses once again in demanding the immediate release of our colleague Dr. Ann Lawani, who has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for nearly two months.
Dr. Lawani is a registered nurse, nurse educator, and program director at the University of San Francisco, where she oversees the education of approximately 230 future nurses. She also works as a practicing nurse at John Muir Health and cares for her 83-year-old father.
On September 16, ICE agents arrested Dr. Lawani at her home in Lodi, California. She was subsequently transported thousands of miles away to a detention facility in Louisiana, separated from her family, students, colleagues, and community.
Despite having federal authorization to work in the United States through 2029 and legal protection against deportation to Nigeria, she remains in detention. Her case raises serious concerns about due process, transparency, and the treatment of immigrants who have spent years contributing to our communities.
This is unacceptable.
Our federal government is detaining a highly skilled nurse and educator who has dedicated her life to caring for patients and preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
How does this make our communities safer? It doesn’t.
Nurses Will Not Remain Silent
As nurses, we have an ethical obligation to stand up for human dignity, advocate for vulnerable communities, and speak out against injustice.
We care for patients regardless of their immigration status, background, or political beliefs. Those same values must guide us when members of our own profession and communities are being targeted.
Dr. Lawani’s detention reflects the broader consequences of immigration enforcement practices that are separating families, disrupting communities, and undermining trust in our institutions.
We cannot normalize this.
Meidas Mighty, We Need Your Help!
We need to amplify this story, and demand Dr. Lawani’s release from ICE. We have seen firsthand the power of this community to elevate the voices of nurses and healthcare workers when it matters most.
Today, we are asking you to help us bring Dr. Lawani home.
Here’s how you can help:
Sign and share the petition demanding her immediate release: Demand the Release of Dr. Ann Lawani.
Contact your members of Congress and urge them to demand her release and accountability from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security.
Share her story with your friends, family, and communities.
Dr. Lawani has spent her career showing up for patients, nursing students, and her community.
Now it’s our turn to show up for her.
Nurses will not be intimidated, and we will not be deterred from standing up for our patients, our colleagues, and the communities we serve.
Release Dr. Ann Lawani now!
Justin Gill, DNP, APRN, RN, FNP-C, is President of the Washington State Nurses Association. Chris Tarver, DNP, RN, CNS, NEA-BC, is President of American Nurses Association\California.
This is beyond outrageous! I absolutely am following the steps you recommend.
trump is a traitor! Revoke his passport! Ground air force one.
Meeting with XI and Putin is a crime against America!! A crime against all service people in Arlington National Cemetery. A crime against all US soldiers buried around the world.
trump A TRAITOR TO ALL AMERICANS!!