News Releases and Statements

On Dec.16, 1999, Guillen-Vega was admitted to the United States at El Paso, Texas, on a nonimmigrant B-2 visa with authorization to remain in the United States until June 15, 2000. Guillen-Vega subsequently remained in the United States beyond June 15, 2000, and became unlawfully present at that time.

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and is undertaking a comprehensive, agency-wide review of this incident, as it does in all such cases.

A 51-year-old unlawfully present Republic of China (Taiwan) national in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Krome Service Processing Center in Florida died Wednesday afternoon at the Kendall Regional Medical Center.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Onoval Perez-Montufa, 51, was pronounced dead at 4:27 p.m. local time by hospital medical staff at the Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, Florida, where he had been receiving inpatient treatment since July 1 after reporting shortness of breath that same day to facility staff at the Glades County Detention Center.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including DHS's OIG, and ICE's OPR.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including DHS's Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and is undertaking a comprehensive agency-wide review of this incident, as it does in all such cases. Fatalities in ICE custody, statistically, are exceedingly rare and occur at a fraction of the national average for the U.S. detained population.

ICE is firmly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody and is undertaking a comprehensive agency-wide review of this incident, as it does in all such cases.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Additionally, ICE has notified the Guatemalan consulate and Ochoa’s next of kin.

David Hernandez Colula, 34, was pronounced dead at 1:49 a.m. local time by medical professionals at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital, where he was transported after facility staff found him unresponsive in his cell. Efforts by facility staff and emergency personnel to revive him were unsuccessful. The preliminary cause of death appears to be self-inflicted strangulation; however, the case is currently under investigation.

The 63-year-old Cuban man, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced dead by a hospital physician at 9:32 a.m. local time January 27, 2020. The preliminary cause of death was ruled to be cardiac arrest.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ICE has notified the United Kingdom consulate and Mr. Owen’s next of kin.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been notified about this death, as have the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ICE has notified the Nigerian consulate and Mr. Akinyemi’s next of kin.

Roylan Hernandez-Diaz, 43, was pronounced dead at 2:21 p.m. local time by facility medical personnel after he was found unresponsive in his cell and efforts by facility staff and emergency personnel to revive him were unsuccessful. The preliminary cause of death appears to be self-inflicted strangulation; however, the case is currently under investigation.

A 37-year-old Cameroon man in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) passed away Tuesday afternoon at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center where he was undergoing treatment for a brain hemorrhage since Sept. 26.  

ICE contacted the Mexican Consulate to inform them of Rodriguez-Espinoza’s medical status and to request assistance locating his next of kin. Mexican Consular officials subsequently advised that Rodriguez-Espinoza had no known next of kin.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate agencies have been notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.

A Honduran man, who was in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), died Sunday at the Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital (MHNH) in Humble, Texas. An autopsy is pending to determine his cause of death.

Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been advised about the death, as have the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ICE has notified the Indian Consulate of Mr. Singh’s death.

Following his release from the Maricopa County Jail on February 26, 2019, Abel Reyes-Clemente, 54, was transferred to ICE custody after serving jail time on a misdemeanor conviction for driving under the influence. Relevant records indicate Mr. Reyes had been repatriated five times, most recently in 2008.

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 the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. Additionally, ICE has advised Russian Embassy representatives.