A 63-year-old Mexican man, Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, died in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Laredo, Texas, on June 19. According to a notification sent to congressional members, Alcorta-Rodriguez entered the U.S. without inspection at an unknown date and time. He was arrested by ICE following his release from Webb County Jail on June 16.

Death in Custody

Alcorta-Rodriguez was found unresponsive at 9:13 p.m. on June 19, and detention staff called medical emergency providers and began lifesaving measures. He was rushed to the Laredo Medical Center and pronounced dead at 10:02 p.m. The official cause of death is currently pending an autopsy.

Dr. Corinne Stern, Webb County’s medical examiner, stated that Alcorta-Rodriguez died from natural causes and that it was not related to his incarceration. The death marks the latest in ICE detention in Texas, which has seen at least a quarter of the deaths in ICE custody since the Trump administration took office.

ICE Detention Facilities Under Scrutiny

The Webb County Detention Center, where Alcorta-Rodriguez was detained, has come under criticism recently. An ICE report in February found that the facility had at least nine violations for providing proper care during a three-day visit. The facility is operated by CoreCivic, which did not respond to questions.

The death of Alcorta-Rodriguez is part of a larger trend of increased fatalities in ICE custody. Thirty-two people died in ICE custody nationwide last year, surpassing the previous high of 20 in 2005, according to federal data.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.