Arabic version: وفاة مراهق في حجز إدارة الهجرة تثير القلق بشأن المعاملة
A 19-year-old Mexican man, Royer Perez-Jimenez, has died while detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Glades County Detention Center in Florida. ICE confirmed that Perez-Jimenez was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at 02:34 (07:34 GMT) on March 16, prompting immediate life-saving efforts by prison staff.
ICE stated that the death is presumed to be a suicide, although the official cause remains under investigation. Perez-Jimenez was arrested in January on charges of fraud for impersonation and misdemeanor resisting an officer after allegedly entering the U.S. illegally.
According to BBC News, he was the youngest individual to die in ICE custody since Donald Trump returned to office and intensified immigration enforcement. Upon his admission to the facility, Perez-Jimenez reportedly denied any behavioral health issues and answered ‘no’ to all suicide screening questions.
The Mexican government has expressed its discontent regarding the incident, labeling the death as “unacceptable” and calling for a thorough investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding it. They emphasized the need for accountability and measures to prevent future occurrences.
Since Trump’s return to office in January 2025, Detention Watch Network has reported over 42 migrant deaths in ICE custody. In contrast, only 24 deaths were reported during the entire four-year term of his predecessor, Joe Biden, according to ICE statistics.
