CALIFORNIA – The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that Huabing Xie, an immigrant from the People’s Republic of China, died at El Centro Regional Medical Center on Sept. 29.
Xie was pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m. after being taken from the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico to the hospital.
Facility staff said Xie appeared to suffer a seizure and became unresponsive around 2:13 p.m. Medical staff at the detention center performed CPR and used a defibrillator until emergency crews arrived.
First responders continued life-saving efforts en route to the hospital, where Xie was pronounced dead.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Xie near Tecate, California, on Dec. 31, 2023, and served him a notice to appear before the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review for removal proceedings.
He was released on recognizance that same day.
Border Patrol arrested Xie again on Sept. 12 in Indio and transferred him to ICE custody the next day.
ICE notified the DHS Office of Inspector General, its Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Chinese consulate of Xie’s death, as required by policy.
Another man recently died in custody in California
Ismael Ayala-Uribe, 39, a Mexican national, died in ICE custody at a Victorville hospital in September. ICE’s website lists 16 detainee deaths nationwide for the current fiscal year, not yet including the recent cases of Xie and Ayala-Uribe.
ICE says it is committed to providing safe, secure, and humane custody. Detainees receive medical care from intake through their stay, including screening within 12 hours of arrival, a full exam within 14 days, access to appointments, and 24-hour emergency care.
ICE says emergency care is never denied.
In a 2023 report, the DHS Office of Inspector General found systemic weaknesses in several ICE detainee deaths.
The issues included poor communication, delayed emergency response, incomplete documentation, and lapses in patient care.
However, the report concluded there was no evidence of widespread policy failure in most cases.
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