Honduran national in ICE custody passes away at Miami-area hospital

MIAMI — Genry Donaldo Ruiz-Guillen, a 29-year-old citizen of Honduras in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was pronounced deceased by medical professionals at the Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs campus in Hialeah, Florida, Jan. 23 at 8:07 a.m. An autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death.

Ruiz-Guillen had been hospitalized since Dec. 9, 2024, at the Larkin Community Hospital, the Larkin Behavioral Health Services and the Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs.

Ruiz-Guillen entered the United States at an unknown date and time and was first encountered June 18, 2023, by U.S. Border Patrol and transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on June 21, 2023. He was released from custody under parole on July 14, 2023. He reentered ICE custody on Oct. 29, 2024, after a local law enforcement encounter in Pinellas County. He was transferred to the Krome Service Processing Center on Oct. 30, 2024. He had four additional hospital visits to Larkin Community Hospital before Dec. 9. According to ICE Health Services Corps, he had a medical history with epilepsy, nicotine dependence, psychotic disorder, headaches, tinea pedis, dizziness with giddiness, seizures and active psychosis.

Consistent with ICE protocols, the appropriate components were notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ERO notified the next of kin.

Upon an official report of a detained illegal alien death, ERO makes official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders, and the media and posts a news release with relevant details on the public website within two business days, per agency policy. This information may be accessed in the ICE.gov Newsroom. Additionally, Congressional requirements described in the DHS Appropriations Bill (2018) require ICE to make public all reports regarding an in-custody death within 90 days. These reports may be accessed on the Detainee Death Reporting page.

ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.

ERO is one of ICE’s three operational directorates and is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of aliens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.