Following a shooting at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas, a second detainee has died. Miguel Ángel García-Hernández, 32, succumbed to his injuries after being removed from life support. He was one of three detainees shot during the incident; the other detainee who died was Norlan Guzmán-Fuente, 37. The shooter, Joshua Jahn, was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A Liberian-born man with prosthetic legs, detained by ICE in Georgia, was placed in solitary confinement after protesting a flooded cell, posing a risk to his electronic prosthetics. His case highlights the inadequate care provided to disabled immigration detainees, with issues including improperly fitted prosthetics and difficulty obtaining necessary medical attention. Despite his pending application for US residence and a pardon for a past conviction, he remains detained and faces potential deportation. Efforts by his fiancé to seek help from officials and advocacy groups have yielded limited results, and his upcoming immigration hearing will determine his fate.
A hearing before Congress saw clashes between Democratic lawmakers and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons over agency funding, detainee deaths, and transparency. Lawmakers criticized ICE’s overspending on detention beds, exceeding Congressional appropriations, and questioned the feasibility of its ambitious deportation goals. Lyons countered that ICE would not run out of funds due to anticipated budget transfers, and defended the agency’s actions while acknowledging nine detainee deaths in custody, promising to publicly release details. Disputes also arose regarding congressional oversight of ICE detention facilities, with lawmakers asserting their right to unannounced inspections.
John Q. Hosedrinker