Houston-area detainee passes away at local hospital
HOUSTON — A Mexican man held in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) died Sunday morning at Conroe Regional Medical Center, in Conroe, Texas, from cardiac arrest.
Felipe Almazan-Ruiz, 51, entered ICE custody in Miami, Florida, on July 12, 2017, following his July 10 conviction in Miami Dade County, Florida, on two counts of “child abuse/aggravated/great bodily harm/torture.”
On Sept. 8, Almazan-Ruiz was transferred from the Glades County (Florida) Detention Center to the IAH Secure Adult Detention Center in Livingston, Texas, due to an evacuation from Hurricane Irma.
On Sept. 12, Almazan-Ruiz was initially treated by medical staff at the IAH Secure Adult Detention Center and transported to the Livingston Memorial hospital emergency room for treatment of cirrhosis of the liver. He was later transferred and admitted to the Conroe Regional Medical Center because of the high volume activity and limited bed-space at the Livingston Memorial hospital. He died about 5:15 a.m. (CDT) on Sept. 17.
Almazan-Ruiz had claimed to have last illegally entered the United States about May 4, 1985, at or near San Ysidro, California. Between 1986 and 2017, he had numerous criminal arrests in Florida.
Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been notified about the death, as have the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ICE has advised Mexican consular representatives.
Almazan-Ruiz is the 12th detainee to pass away in ICE custody in fiscal year 2017.
ICE’s Health Service Corps (IHSC) ensures the provision of necessary medical care services as required by ICE Performance-Based National Detention Standards and based on the medical needs of the detainee. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment detainees arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All ICE detainees 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 daily sick call and 24-hour emergency care. Pursuant to our commitment to the welfare of those in the agency’s custody, ICE annually spends more than $180 million on the spectrum of healthcare services provided to detainees.
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