A 55-year-old Vietnamese man detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has died while in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Indiana. Staff found him unresponsive last Wednesday, and he was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. The cause of death remains under investigation, officials said.
ICE Statement And Notifications
In a news release, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified the man as Tuan Van Bui and said facility staff immediately began life-saving measures, while emergency responders provided advanced support before he was pronounced dead. ICE said it notified the Department of Homeland Security, the DHS Office of Inspector General and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility as it investigates the death, per U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Immigration Status And Court Fight
According to reporting from the Indianapolis Star, Bui legally entered the United States in 1990 under the Amerasian Homecoming Act and held an AM-1 visa that could have made him eligible for lawful permanent residency. The outlet reports that ICE told investigators Bui never applied for U.S. citizenship, that an immigration judge ordered his removal in 2005, and that federal court records show he was challenging his detention through a habeas corpus case.
Second Detainee Death At The Facility
Bui is the second immigration detainee to die at Miami Correctional since ICE began using the prison in October 2025. Miami County Coroner John Boyer previously ruled that Lorth Sim, who was found unresponsive on Feb. 16, died of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with diabetes listed as a contributing condition, according to reporting by Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Scrutiny Over The "Speedway Slammer" Deal
The state’s agreement to provide ICE up to 1,000 beds at the prison, a plan that some reporting has referred to as the "Speedway Slammer," has drawn criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups who are pressing for more transparency about medical care and oversight. National coverage indicates the recent deaths have renewed pressure on officials to explain how detainee health and safety are being monitored, as detailed by Newsweek.
Investigations And Next Steps
ICE says the cause of Bui’s death remains under investigation and that required notifications were made to federal oversight offices. The coroner’s office and federal investigators may also review medical and custody records as part of their probes. Centurion, the contractor that provides medical care at the prison, and the Indiana Department of Correction did not immediately respond to requests for comment, the Indianapolis Star reports.
