Civil groups demand audit after three deaths in federal custody
The ACLU and AILA are pressing ICE and DHS for medical inspections following a rise in October arrests.
By Megan Ivanov ·
Three people died while under federal custody in October.
Civil rights organizations have raised alarms over a sharp increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests across multiple states. The group cites the confirmed deaths as evidence that the agency’s detention practices require immediate review. The American Civil Liberties Union and the American Immigration Lawyers Association filed a joint demand for an urgent audit of the national detention network. They are seeking transparency in medical care and clearer accountability mechanisms.
One of the named cases involves Roberto Jiménez Gutiérrez, who died at the Otay Mesa detention center in San Diego. The Department of Homeland Security is currently supervising the investigation into that incident. Officials have not released a full timeline of events for the other two fatalities. The civil groups argue that current oversight is insufficient to protect vulnerable detainees.
The legal associations want DHS to inspect health conditions in all federal facilities. They are pushing for independent medical reviews of every death. The request for an audit covers the entire network of migration detention sites. ICE has not yet issued a formal response to the groups' demands.
Source: Latin Opinion
