A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee has died of what officials say is "presumed suicide" at the Camp East Montana detention facility in Texas. Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, a Nicaraguan national who had been living in the country illegally since March 2024, was pronounced dead on January 14 after being found unconscious and unresponsive by ICE staff two days earlier.
Diaz's death is the second reported at the Camp East Montana facility this month, following the reported death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban national who died "after experiencing medical distress" on January 3. The official cause of death for both men remains under investigation by ICE and the El Paso County medical examiner's office.
According to ICE, Diaz had been in federal custody since January 6, when he was arrested for an immigration violation in Minneapolis as part of a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. He was processed for removal from the US but died before his case could be resolved.
The death has raised concerns about the treatment and conditions of detainees at the facility, with ICE officials saying that all those in custody must reside in "safe, secure, and humane environments." However, critics have long argued that detention centers like Camp East Montana can be poorly equipped to handle medical emergencies or mental health crises.
Diaz's death has also highlighted the struggles faced by undocumented immigrants who are attempting to navigate the complex and often hostile US immigration system. As advocates for immigrant rights point out, many of those in ICE custody face dire circumstances, including inadequate access to healthcare, family separation, and long periods of detention without due process or meaningful opportunities to plead their case.
In response to the death, ICE officials said that they are committed to ensuring "the humane treatment of all individuals in our care." However, as the incident highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability within the US immigration system, many will be watching with concern to see how the facility's management responds to this tragic event.
Diaz's death is the second reported at the Camp East Montana facility this month, following the reported death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban national who died "after experiencing medical distress" on January 3. The official cause of death for both men remains under investigation by ICE and the El Paso County medical examiner's office.
According to ICE, Diaz had been in federal custody since January 6, when he was arrested for an immigration violation in Minneapolis as part of a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. He was processed for removal from the US but died before his case could be resolved.
The death has raised concerns about the treatment and conditions of detainees at the facility, with ICE officials saying that all those in custody must reside in "safe, secure, and humane environments." However, critics have long argued that detention centers like Camp East Montana can be poorly equipped to handle medical emergencies or mental health crises.
Diaz's death has also highlighted the struggles faced by undocumented immigrants who are attempting to navigate the complex and often hostile US immigration system. As advocates for immigrant rights point out, many of those in ICE custody face dire circumstances, including inadequate access to healthcare, family separation, and long periods of detention without due process or meaningful opportunities to plead their case.
In response to the death, ICE officials said that they are committed to ensuring "the humane treatment of all individuals in our care." However, as the incident highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability within the US immigration system, many will be watching with concern to see how the facility's management responds to this tragic event.
I mean, ICE is saying that Victor Diaz died of "presumed suicide" but isn't it also possible that he was pushed to do that due to the terrible conditions and lack of care at the facility? I'm not saying that's a good thing, but we need to consider all the facts. On the other hand, maybe he just really needed some alone time in his cell and lost it... 
No, wait, that can't be right. This is serious stuff, and we should be focusing on making sure that people like Diaz are treated with dignity and respect. But at the same time, I'm also worried about the fact that the facility's management might not take responsibility for their mistakes and just try to sweep this under the rug. Ugh, my head hurts from thinking about it all... 
this is just another example of what can happen when we rush into solutions without thinking about the human cost 
i mean, a guy gets held in detention for an immigration violation and then ends up dying under mysterious circumstances 
it's not just about the technical stuff, it's about creating a system that doesn't crush people's hopes and dreams 
. Like, what even is "presumed suicide" when you know someone just had a mental health breakdown and can't get help? They're just gonna stick it on a piece of paper and call it a day 
. And the US immigration system's response to this is just a big ol' "we'll try to do better next time"... yeah, no kidding 
. These guys are basically just pawns in some game they don't even understand 
.
. I mean, can't we do better than this? 
A 36-year-old man dies under ICE custody and it's just presumed suicide? 
. It's clear that they're understaffed and under-resourced, leaving detainees vulnerable to all sorts of health crises 
. We need to hold ICE officials accountable for the living conditions and treatment of those in their care 
. This isn't just about immigration policy, it's about basic human decency 
.
.
ICE needs 2 step up their game & ensure that detainees r treated w/ respect & dignity, not just thrown away like trash 
It's not like it's gonna help 'em get their cases resolved faster or anything. And don't even get me started on the fact that they're saying all detainees are treated humanely - yeah right! I've seen vids of those facilities, they're basically prisons with cells and bars... where's the humane treatment in that? 
but here we are, hearing about another death under questionable circumstances. what's the point of having laws if they just lead to more suffering? 
ICE is doing its job, and if someone can't handle being held in custody, that's not their problem. We should be focusing on keeping people out of the country in the first place instead of coddling them after they break the rules.
As long as ICE is providing food and a roof over their heads, I'm not sure why anyone would complain. We should be building more of these facilities instead of trying to make the lives of undocumented immigrants easier.
its not just about the death its about the whole system being super messed up 
camp east montana is like, how many times r they gonna get away with this? 
its like, come on, do somethin more than just talk about it 
can't believe another life lost like this... 36 yrs old guy just wanna live in peace & try 2 get his life together 
& now hes gone