Current media reporting has recommended that the demise of a person held within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Texas could also be categorized as a murder. On January 15, 2026, The Washington Publish reported {that a} health worker’s workplace worker instructed the household of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban immigrant, that medical doctors have been prone to listing the reason for demise as asphyxia because of neck and chest compression, pending toxicology outcomes.
The report cited a recording of the dialog and an eyewitness account from one other detainee. ICE had beforehand stated solely that workers noticed Lunas Campos “in misery.” Reacting to the report the identical day, Harry Sisson accused former President Donald Trump of attempting to divert consideration from the case, writing that “Trump desires you to overlook this.”
Extra particulars concerning the alleged demise in ICE custody
Based on The Washington Publish’s report on January 15, 2026, an worker from the El Paso County Workplace of the Medical Examiner instructed Lunas Campos’s daughter that the preliminary explanation for demise was “asphyxia because of neck and chest compression.” The worker added that, topic to toxicology outcomes, the style of demise would probably be categorized as murder. The health worker’s workplace declined to remark publicly, stating that info may solely be shared with members of the family.
Lunas Campos reportedly died on January 3, 2026 at Camp East Montana, a big detention facility in El Paso. An inside doc reviewed by The Publish famous an “quick” use-of-force incident however didn’t embody particulars. A fellow detainee, Santos Jesus Flores, instructed The Publish that he reportedly witnessed guards battling Lunas Campos after he refused to enter a segregated housing unit whereas complaining about lacking medicine.
Flores additionally stated he noticed guards choking Lunas Campos and heard him repeatedly say, “No puedo respirar” (“I can’t breathe”). Flores reportedly stated,
“He stated, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.’ After that, we don’t hear his voice anymore and that’s it”
Medical workers tried resuscitation for about an hour earlier than his demise, Flores stated. Immigration and Customs Enforcement additionally reportedly confirmed that Flores had been detained on the facility by its detainee locator. The Division of Homeland Safety declined to touch upon the case on the time of press.
In his submit on X (previously Twitter) dated January 15, 2026, Harry Sisson reacted to the reporting by saying a health worker had declared the demise a murder and describing the alleged choking as “horrific.” His remark framed the case as a part of broader criticism of immigration enforcement beneath Trump-era insurance policies.
The Washington Publish famous {that a} murder ruling would probably draw renewed consideration to Camp East Montana, the place migrants have reported substandard circumstances and alleged abuse. Inspectors have reportedly cited dozens of violations of federal detention requirements on the facility.
Lunas Campos is reportedly the second detainee reported to have died there, which now holds greater than 3,800 individuals. Following a number of immigation enforcement associated violent incident in current instances, there have been a number of anti-ICE protests and demonstrations taking place throughout america.
The FBI has contacted Lunas Campos’s household and is investigating, based on the mom of two of his youngsters, although the bureau declined to remark. Contractors overseeing the ability and using its guards additionally didn’t reply to requests for remark from the Publish.
Edited by Devangee
