In brief
A 39-year-old Mexican man, Ismael Ayala-Uribe, died after being transferred to a hospital while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. The cause of death is under investigation, as his family voices concerns over his declining health after entering detention.
ADELANTO, Calif. (AP) — Officials are investigating the death this week of a 39-year-old Mexican man who was in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Southern California.
Ismael Ayala-Uribe was transferred Sunday from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center to a regional hospital for surgery on an abscess on his buttock, according to an ICE statement.
Hospital staff found him unresponsive and “initiated lifesaving measures” but he was declared dead around 2:30 a.m. Monday, the statement said. The cause of death is under investigation.
In addition to the abscess, Ayala-Uribe suffered from hypertension and tachycardia, an abnormally fast heart rate, according to ICE.
Federal records show that more than a dozen people have died in immigration detention since January 2023, when immigration officials began to implement President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
His family said Ayala-Uribe had high blood pressure but was otherwise healthy. His brother reported to the Los Angeles Times that Ayala-Uribe got sick with a cough and a fever shortly after he arrived at the Adelanto facility on Aug. 22.
Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department has expressed its condolences to Ayala-Uribe’s family and emphasized that the Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino will ensure a thorough investigation to “fully clarify” the cause of death. The consulate is also in contact with the family to provide legal assistance and support.
Additionally, Mexico has reiterated its commitment to protect the human rights of Mexicans abroad.
According to ICE, Ayala-Uribe entered the United States at an unknown date and location. He applied for and received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protection in 2012 but had his DACA renewal application denied in 2016. He had two DUI convictions on record.
