A 63-year-old immigrant detainee died in federal custody in Laredo on June 19 after collapsing at the Webb County Detention Center, adding to a sharp rise in deaths tied to Immigration and Customs Enforcement this year.
Officials identified the man as Felix Alcorta‑Rodriguez. He was found unresponsive at the detention center and rushed to Laredo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Webb County’s medical examiner has said the death appears to be from natural causes, with a full autopsy and formal notification of his family still pending. The case lands at a time when deaths in ICE custody have surged nationwide, with several in Texas making up a disproportionate share of the total.
According to MySanAntonio, ICE notified members of Congress that Alcorta‑Rodriguez was discovered unresponsive at about 9:13 p.m. on June 19. Staff began lifesaving measures before he was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:02 p.m. The notice to lawmakers stated that he had entered the United States without inspection at an unknown time and that ICE took him into custody on June 16, after his release from the Webb County jail. Agency spokespeople did not immediately answer requests for comment.
What officials said
Webb County medical examiner Dr. Corinne Stern told reporters that, based on initial findings, Alcorta‑Rodriguez’s death "is not in any way related to his incarceration." She said her office will complete an autopsy and notify next of kin, as reported by MySanAntonio. Laredo police confirmed that Alcorta‑Rodriguez had prior arrests, including for drunken driving, and that he was detained last month on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on a 2018 DWI charge. Authorities did not release additional information about his medical history.
Facility record and inspections
The Webb County Detention Center is run under an intergovernmental contract by the private prison operator CoreCivic, according to ICE’s facility listing. A recent ICE compliance visit found a series of problems, including at least nine violations related to detainee care, along with concerns about medical treatment and suicide-prevention checks, as detailed in an ICE inspection report. Advocates say those findings highlight long-running questions about staffing levels, access to medical care and oversight at privately run immigration detention centers.
Broader context
Independent trackers and news reports indicate that deaths in ICE custody have climbed to levels not seen in several years, with roughly 19 to 20 reported so far in 2026, according to the ICE tracking database. Intensifying the concern, ICE recently revised an internal policy to stop publicly reporting deaths that occur within 30 days of a person’s release from custody, a change first reported by The Associated Press. Advocates argue that this shift could obscure deaths that happen shortly after detention. Lawmakers and civil rights groups have responded by calling for more transparency and tighter oversight of privately operated facilities.
What’s next
The Webb County medical examiner’s office has said it will release autopsy findings once they are complete and that efforts to reach Alcorta‑Rodriguez’s next of kin are underway. Advocacy groups say the death is likely to fuel renewed demands for closer scrutiny of medical care in immigration detention and for a clearer account of what unfolded inside the Laredo facility. Officials have not provided a timeline for further updates or the release of additional records.
