A 39-year-old man from Westminster, Ismael Ayala-Uribe, died on Monday while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. Ayala-Uribe, a former Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, had been detained for nearly a month when he passed away, leaving his family devastated and seeking answers.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Ayala-Uribe began feeling unwell about two weeks after arriving at the detention center. Initially, he complained of a cough and fever, which worsened over time. Despite his deteriorating condition, he was only given basic medication like Tylenol. His condition was flagged as potentially life-threatening, but he was not taken to a hospital until days later, when he was scheduled for surgery for an abscess. He died shortly after the surgery.
Ayala-Uribe’s death highlights ongoing concerns about the medical care provided at Adelanto, one of the largest federal immigration detention centers in California. Critics, including some staff members, have previously described the facility as unsafe and unsanitary. An anonymous staff member noted that recent hires lacked experience, which could have contributed to Ayala-Uribe’s death.
Ayala-Uribe’s family, including his brother Jose, expressed their grief and frustration over the lack of information provided by ICE. “They wouldn’t tell us anything,” Jose said. “Eventually, we just got the word that he was in their infirmary, and that’s all they would tell us.”
The GEO Group, which operates Adelanto, declined to comment, referring inquiries to ICE. The Department of Homeland Security stated that comprehensive medical care is provided to all detainees and that no one is denied emergency care. Ayala-Uribe’s death marks the 14th in ICE custody this year, raising questions about the adequacy of care in immigration detention centers across the country.
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