Burnsville woman denied ICE surgery released from custody
Andrea Pedro-Francisco, a Burnsville woman who had been denied ovarian surgery while in ICE custody, has been released from federal immigration detention, Rep. Angie Craig and Sen. Tina Smith say.[1]
Smith said she secured the release after contacting senior Department of Homeland Security officials, and Rep. Craig confirmed the outcome.[1]
Pedro-Francisco was detained Feb. 5 while heading to work; she has an active asylum case and no criminal record.[1]
She had been scheduled for ovarian cyst surgery on Feb. 11 but was instead taken to an ICE facility in El Paso, where visitors said she received only Tylenol and medication for constipation.[1]
Her request for humanitarian parole was denied in early May, a decision that drew public pressure from Minnesota lawmakers and advocates before Smith's outreach to DHS officials led to her release.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Andrea Pedro‑Francisco, a Burnsville woman with an active asylum case and no criminal record, was detained by ICE on Feb. 5, 2026, while en route to work.
- She was scheduled for ovarian cyst surgery on Feb. 11 but was instead taken to an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas, where visitors say she received only Tylenol and constipation medication.
- Her request for humanitarian parole was denied in early May, but Rep. Angie Craig and Sen. Tina Smith now say she has been released after Smith contacted senior DHS officials.
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