A migrant detainee, 44-year-old Cambric Dennis from Liberia, died while in the custody of a Georgia ICE detention center on May 21, marking the second such death in the state this year; details surrounding his death remain unclear, officials reported.
Dennis immigrated legally to the U.S. in 1997, but following a felony drug trafficking conviction, he was taken into ICE custody from a Georgia Department of Corrections facility near Jackson, Georgia last July and later held at the Stewart Detention Center, awaiting a hearing, ICE officials said, despite the ongoing concerns and criticisms about the treatment and conditions in these housing units including the recent death of 57-year-old Indian national Jaspal Singh at a different facility.
A press release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reaffirmed the agency's commitment to detainee safety, stating, "ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments," while underscoring that detainees have access to timely medical, dental, and mental health screenings and care, as reported by WABE.
However, the Stewart Detention Center has been under heavy scrutiny with a troubling history—since 2017, the facility has accounted for 10 deaths, two declared suicides, and last year, four women came forward alleging sexual assault by a nurse, a case that added to the growing outcry and subsequent 2023 petition by over 200 immigrants demanding better accommodations citing issues like mold, substandard food, and lack of hot water for days, according to reports by WABE.
