A Third Immigrant Detainee Dies at El Paso Facility
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced another fatality among the undocumented immigrant detainees held at Camp East Montana on Fort Bliss, an Army base in El Paso. Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old man from Nicaragua, was pronounced dead on Wednesday after being found unconscious and unresponsive in his room by contract security staff.
According to ICE, Diaz's cause of death remains under investigation, with the agency ruling out suicide as the probable cause. However, officials have been quick to point fingers at the administration's "hardline" stance on immigration, which has led to a significant increase in detentions. Critics argue that the soft-sided tent facility is unsuitable for housing so many detainees.
Diaz is the third undocumented immigrant to die in custody since January 3rd, joining Francisco Gaspar-Andres, who died of natural liver and kidney failure on December 3rd, and Geraldo Lunas Campos, who died after experiencing medical distress on January 3rd. The causes of death for all three cases are still being investigated.
Camp East Montana has been a focal point of controversy in recent months, with members of Congress raising concerns about safety at the facility. The camp's soft-sided structure has come under scrutiny, particularly given its capacity to house over 2,900 detainees as of January 8th.
In response to the growing criticism, ICE has released a statement reaffirming its commitment to providing humane treatment to all detainees. However, critics argue that this claim rings hollow in light of Diaz's suspicious death and the lack of transparency surrounding the cause of his demise. As NBC News investigates further, the circumstances surrounding Diaz's death raise serious questions about the welfare of those in ICE custody.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced another fatality among the undocumented immigrant detainees held at Camp East Montana on Fort Bliss, an Army base in El Paso. Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old man from Nicaragua, was pronounced dead on Wednesday after being found unconscious and unresponsive in his room by contract security staff.
According to ICE, Diaz's cause of death remains under investigation, with the agency ruling out suicide as the probable cause. However, officials have been quick to point fingers at the administration's "hardline" stance on immigration, which has led to a significant increase in detentions. Critics argue that the soft-sided tent facility is unsuitable for housing so many detainees.
Diaz is the third undocumented immigrant to die in custody since January 3rd, joining Francisco Gaspar-Andres, who died of natural liver and kidney failure on December 3rd, and Geraldo Lunas Campos, who died after experiencing medical distress on January 3rd. The causes of death for all three cases are still being investigated.
Camp East Montana has been a focal point of controversy in recent months, with members of Congress raising concerns about safety at the facility. The camp's soft-sided structure has come under scrutiny, particularly given its capacity to house over 2,900 detainees as of January 8th.
In response to the growing criticism, ICE has released a statement reaffirming its commitment to providing humane treatment to all detainees. However, critics argue that this claim rings hollow in light of Diaz's suspicious death and the lack of transparency surrounding the cause of his demise. As NBC News investigates further, the circumstances surrounding Diaz's death raise serious questions about the welfare of those in ICE custody.