Another Death in ICE Detention
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) issued the following statement in response to the death of Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias while detained in the Rio Grande Processing Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility operated by the GEO Group:
"The reported death of another individual in ICE custody is a devastating reminder of the human cost of this administration’s out-of-control immigration enforcement. With 60 deaths reportedly recorded during President Trump’s second term, including 27 this year alone, this is a crisis that demands immediate action and accountability.
No one should die in the custody of the United States government.
Every person detained by our government deserves humane treatment, access to medical care, and the fundamental protections of due process. These are not optional obligations. They are basic responsibilities of a government that claims to uphold the rule of law.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has repeatedly sounded the alarm about dangerous detention conditions, inadequate oversight, and the administration’s escalating immigration crackdown.
We demand a full and transparent investigation into this latest death, independent oversight of ICE detention facilities, and immediate action to address the conditions putting lives at risk. Congress must use every available oversight tool to ensure those responsible are held accountable and these preventable tragedies do not continue.
The loss of life in ICE custody cannot become the new normal.
House Democrats will use every available tool to demand transparency, pursue accountability, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable."
Compare with the ICE announcement of the death:
"Criminal alien from Mexico passes away in ICE custody in Texas
LAREDO, Texas – Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old criminal alien from Mexico, passed away in ICE custody Oct. 17, 2026. His criminal history includes an arrest for theft of property July 27, 2004.
On Oct. 17, at approximately 9:48 a.m. CST, Andrade was found unresponsive in his assigned bed at the Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo, Texas. Security staff declared a medical emergency and immediately began life saving measures. The Laredo Fire Department Emergency Medical Service was called and despite life-saving efforts, at 10:10 a.m. Andrade was declared deceased. The cause of death is unknown. An autopsy will determine the official cause of death."
