Man who died in ICE custody in Texas was lawful permanent resident
Thao NguyenA man who died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in South Texas over the weekend was a lawful permanent resident who had lived in the state for decades, according to federal authorities and family members.
Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old from Mexico, was found unresponsive in his bed at the Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo, Texas, on Oct. 17. Security personnel "declared a medical emergency and immediately began lifesaving measures," ICE said in a statement released on Oct. 20.
Paramedics with the Laredo Fire Department responded, but Andrade-Covarrubias was pronounced dead at 10:10 a.m. local time, according to ICE. The agency said he had documented medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension and anxiety and received medical care while in custody.
The cause of death remains unknown pending an autopsy, ICE said. The Texas Tribune first reported Andrade-Covarrubias' death on Oct. 18, citing confirmation from his daughter and Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.
ICE said Andrade-Covarrubias had been in custody since late June. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers detained him at the Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge, a port of entry in Laredo, as he was returning from Mexico.
"Andrade, a lawful permanent resident, was determined to have obtained status through fraudulent means by failing to disclose his previous arrest during the review process," the agency said in the statement. "He was processed and transferred to ICE custody pending removal proceedings before an immigration judge. He was receiving due process."
Texas lawmaker seeks answers from ICE
Cuellar, whose district represents Laredo, said he inspected the Rio Grande Processing Center on Oct. 18 and spoke with staff about medical procedures at the facility. Because the death of Andrade-Covarrubias remains under investigation, facility personnel were unable to provide details specific to his case, he said.
Following the visit, Cuellar said he submitted seven written questions to ICE seeking additional information. Among other issues, he asked whether Andrade-Covarrubias requested medical attention during the 72 hours before his death, what treatment and medications he received while in custody, and whether detention staff followed medical and emergency response protocols.
Cuellar also requested information about medical staffing levels at the facility, detention standards and Andrade-Covarrubias' immigration status, including whether he was a lawful permanent resident of the United States. The congressman said he plans to continue following up with the agency as the investigation proceeds.
"My condolences go out to the family of Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias," Cuellar said in a statement on social media on Oct. 19. "Any death in federal custody is a serious matter, and we need to know what happened."
Family of man who died in ICE custody disputes account
Andrade-Covarrubias' daughter, Estefani Andrade, has disputed ICE's claims that her father concealed his criminal history when applying for permanent residency, according to The Texas Tribune. She told the newspaper that her father disclosed his arrest in 2004 for theft during the immigration process and that federal officials approved his green card application.
Andrade-Covarrubias had lived in Dallas for decades, raising three U.S.-born children while working as a painter for apartments and townhomes, the newspaper reported. He frequently traveled to Mexico and was building a home there, according to his daughter.
The Tribune also reported that Andrade-Covarrubias suffered from a heart condition, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He had medication with him when he was detained but his daughter told the newspaper that staff at the Rio Grande Processing Center would not "give him his medications."
She said her father sought medical help after developing a cough, breathing difficulties, and chest tightness but believed his concerns were ignored, according to the Tribune.
Latest ICE custody death in Texas
Andrade-Covarrubias is the seventh person to die in ICE detention in Texas this year and the second detainee death reported in Laredo, according to agency records.
The first ICE detainee death reported in Texas in 2026 was that of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant. Lunas Campos died on Jan. 3 at Camp East Montana, a detention center in East El Paso near the U.S.-Mexico border.
At the time of his death, Lunas Campos had been held at the facility for nearly four months. His death was later ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy report by the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner.
In June, Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, a 63-year-old man from Mexico, died after being found unresponsive at the Webb County Detention Center in Laredo, according to ICE. Agency records show that medical staff identified a blood clot extending from the right atrium into the inferior vena cava during resuscitation efforts.
Andrade-Covarrubias' death comes amid heightened scrutiny of conditions in immigration detention facilities nationwide. At least 58 people have died in ICE detention facilities since President Donald Trump's second term began in January 2025, according to USA TODAY's immigration enforcement tracker.
Immigrant and civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have raised concerns about conditions in detention facilities and increasing deaths in custody. ICE has disputed allegations of poor conditions, saying it is committed to the health and safety of people in its custody.
"The agency is consistently failing to meet basic human needs, subjecting tens of thousands of people every day to systemic and dangerous medical neglect, unacceptable sanitation conditions, and unsafe housing," the ACLU said in a report published last month. "For many, these dire conditions have resulted in preventable medical crises and fatalities."
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