A perforated duodenal ulcer has been identified as the cause of death for José Manuel Sánchez‑Castro, the 36‑year‑old who died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. Sánchez‑Castro was found unresponsive on Oct. 27, 2024, after being booked into the facility earlier that week and was later pronounced dead. The newly disclosed autopsy result is again turning a harsh spotlight on medical care inside the privately run detention center.
Autopsy ruling and official finding
The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death as natural and listed the immediate cause as a perforated duodenal ulcer, according to The News Tribune. The outlet tied the autopsy conclusion to county records and official statements released after the review.
911 call shows withdrawal
A 911 recording obtained by the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights captures a nurse telling dispatchers that Sánchez‑Castro had been kept in the facility's medical unit and was undergoing fentanyl withdrawal before he was found face‑down and vomiting, as reported by KUOW. Advocates point to that sequence of events as central to questions about whether staff followed protocols for serious withdrawal.
Federal agency response
In a news release, ICE identified Sánchez‑Castro as a Mexican national who was first arrested in August 2009 and said it had notified his next of kin and the Consulate General of Mexico. The agency’s statement also says detainees receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours and a full health assessment within 14 days, and that emergent care is not denied under agency policy.
Family seeks records in court
Sánchez‑Castro’s widow and attorneys with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project have filed a lawsuit seeking detention and medical records, saying ICE missed FOIA deadlines and that the documents are needed to determine whether the facility followed its own policies, according to KIRO 7. The complaint asks a federal judge to order ICE to turn over intake forms, medical charts, video footage and autopsy documents.
Broader scrutiny at the Tacoma lockup
The Northwest ICE Processing Center has faced repeated scrutiny after other deaths and a steady stream of complaints about conditions, hygiene and access to care, prompting visits from members of Congress and outside monitors. KNKX and other local reporting have tracked earlier investigations and a recent Organization of American States review of the facility.
Policy and legal stakes
ICE’s Performance‑Based National Detention Standards require that detainees experiencing “severe, life‑threatening intoxication or withdrawal symptoms” be transferred immediately for emergency evaluation, a rule advocates say is central to the family’s legal case. The detention standards text is available on ICE’s website and has been cited repeatedly by lawyers and oversight groups pressing for records and accountability.
What’s next
Attorneys for the family say they will continue to push for the full records and video sought in the lawsuit so independent reviewers can map exactly what medical care was provided in the days before Sánchez‑Castro’s death. ICE has said it does not comment on pending litigation, while advocates say the new autopsy details will likely deepen calls for independent oversight and transparency, according to local coverage.
