Death of man at ICE camp could be investigated as homicide after examiner’s report | ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
The death of a man held at a federal detention camp in Texas in early January may be investigated as a homicide after the local medical examiner determined the initial cause was “asphyxia due to neck and chest compression.”
It was announced that 55-year-old Cuban immigrant Geraldo Lunas Campos, who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July last year, died on January 3. He was being held in ICE custody at Camp East Montana, a large tent camp on the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso.
Inside a press release The agency claimed he died after “experiencing medical distress” and said the cause of death was under investigation. The Department of Homeland Security had previously highlighted Lunas Campos’ arrest as one of the “worst of the worst” categories used by DHS. To trumpet what they claim to be Trump’s victories mass deportation campaign. He has a criminal record for sexual abuse of a child, possession of a firearm and aggravated assault.
But on a recording Reviewed and first reported by the Washington PostEl Paso County’s medical examiner’s office reportedly told a member of Lunas Campos’ family that the office was preparing to classify the death as a homicide, depending on the results of the toxicology report.
Lunas Campos, One in four ICE detainees who died while in custody Its deaths in the first 10 days of the year were part of a disturbing trend; 2025 was the agency’s deadliest year in more than two decades. Last December was the deadliest month, with six deaths, according to Guardian research.
He was also at least the second person housed in the camp. come under fire repeatedly There have been numerous deaths from human rights groups in recent months due to abuse and inhumane conditions. Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a 48-year-old Guatemalan who was also held at Fort Bliss, died in the hospital due to health problems late last year.
ICE officials and the El Paso county coroner could not be reached for comment on whether Lunas Campos’ death would be officially classified as a homicide. A representative of the office responded to the El Paso Times: The autopsy report is still pending. and is not open to the public.
ICE’s press release about Lunas Campos’ death alleges that Campos was sentenced to solitary confinement after becoming “disturbing during medication.” Staff observed him there “in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance,” officials said. He was declared dead by medical teams at 22.16.
Witnesses who were detained with Lunas Campos told the Washington Post a different story. Santos Jesus Flores, who was detained at the camp where Lunas Campos died, said he saw five guards strangle the man who resisted entering the isolation unit because he did not have medication.
During the struggle, Jesus Flores said he heard Lunas Campos repeatedly say in Spanish that he couldn’t breathe.
“He said, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.’ After that, we don’t hear his voice anymore and that’s it,” Flores told the Post.
