The San Diego-based Haitian Bridge Alliance has condemned the death of a Haitian national while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising concerns about medical care for migrants held in detention facilities.
In a statement on Friday, ICE said Emanuel Cleeford Damas, described by the agency as “a criminal illegal alien from Haiti currently facing criminal charges for assault and battery,” died while in custody on March 2 at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona.
However, HBA Executive Director Guerline Jozef said Damas died at a Scottsdale hospital after reportedly suffering complications linked to an untreated tooth infection while detained at the Florence ICE facility.
She said the circumstances surrounding the death raise serious concerns about detainees’ access to timely medical care while in government custody.
“Damas’ death is part of a deeply troubling pattern,” Jozef said, noting that at least 30 to 32 people died in ICE detention during 2025.
“The crisis appears to be continuing into this year,” she added, pointing out that several deaths have already been reported in the early months of 2026, including four migrants who died in U.S. immigration custody within the first 10 days of the year.
“Far too many immigrants — including Haitian nationals — have died in ICE custody,” Jozef said. “The death of Emmanuel Damas is a devastating reminder that our immigration detention system is failing the most basic standard of human dignity. People seeking safety should not die from untreated medical conditions while in government custody.”
Advocates and family members say Damas had complained of severe tooth pain in mid-February while being held at the Florence detention centre in Arizona, but did not receive dental care before his condition worsened.
According to relatives, the infection allegedly spread and led to sepsis before he was eventually transferred to a hospital, where he later died.
Jozef said the deaths of migrants in detention demand “urgent accountability, transparency, and meaningful reform.”
The Haitian Bridge Alliance is calling on federal authorities to launch independent investigations into deaths in immigration detention, ensure adequate medical care for detainees and expand humane, community-based alternatives for individuals with pending immigration cases who do not pose a risk to public safety.
