A 49-year-old man from Tennessee has died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after being found unresponsive at the Winn Correctional Center in rural Louisiana. Alejandro Cabrera Clemente was taken by ambulance to Winn Parish Medical Center on April 11 and was later pronounced dead.
ICE said Cabrera Clemente was arrested in Chattanooga on Jan. 8 and transferred to the Winn facility on Jan. 13. Staff discovered him unresponsive on Saturday and began life-saving measures. "Despite life-saving efforts, at approximately 8:51 a.m., an onsite physician at WPMC pronounced Cabrera deceased," the agency said, according to NewsChannel 5.
Surge in in-custody deaths
Cabrera Clemente's death is the latest in a string of fatalities at ICE detention sites as the agency's population has swelled. At least 16 people have died in ICE custody so far this year, according to Reuters, and an ABC News analysis shows the current death rate is markedly higher than in recent years. Advocates say the trend tracks with a dramatic rise in the detained population and reports of problems at privately run lockups.
Mexico presses for answers
Mexico's government has called the deaths of its citizens in U.S. custody unacceptable and said it would use legal and diplomatic channels to seek clarification about the latest case. President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered daily consular visits to detention centers and urged investigations, according to The Washington Post.
Oversight and what comes next
ICE routinely notifies lawmakers after in-custody deaths, and the agency's facility pages list contact points for oversight and complaints, including the Office of Professional Responsibility and the Department of Homeland Security inspector general. Family members and legal representatives can raise concerns through the channels listed on the Winn facility page as the incident is reviewed. ICE provides those contact details.
Local links and unanswered questions
Cabrera Clemente, who ICE said had lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years, was arrested in Chattanooga on Jan. 8 and moved to Winn on Jan. 13; the agency also noted prior convictions, according to NewsChannel 5. Officials have not released a cause of death, and relatives and advocates say they want a full accounting as consular officials and lawmakers seek more information.
