A Mexican national in immigration custody died Monday at Florence Hospital at Anthem after collapsing outside the medical unit at the Florence Detention Center, the agency said in a news release.
Juan Garcia-Hernandez, 39, collapsed Monday afternoon after a meeting with members of the facilityβs medical staff. Heβd been taken into custody on Aug. 27, after his stay of removal expired, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a news release. Efforts by Florence personnel and emergency responders to revive Garcia were unsuccessful. An autopsy is pending.
Garcia was granted a voluntary departure by the Board of Immigration Appeals on March 12, 2014, requiring him to leave the country within 60 days. When he failed to do so, the order of removal became final and ICE granted Garcia a one-year stay of removal in June 2014 for humanitarian reasons.
Garcia was awaiting repatriation to Mexico at the time of his death. ICE has contacted the Mexican Consulate and coordinated with consular representatives to notify Garciaβs next of kin.
Garcia is the seventh detainee to die in ICE custody in fiscal year 2015.
Another Mexican national committed suicide at the Eloy detention facility in May.
Jose Deniz-Sahagun, 31, tried to illegally cross the border through Douglas on May 15, ICE said. At the time of his death, he was awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge on his pending deportation.
Since 2003, there have been at least 14 deaths at the Eloy center, including two other suicides in 2013, according to an ICE list of deaths of people in its custody. Another person died of asphyxia at the Pinal County jail in 2008. The Arizona Republic has reported there have been five suicides at the Eloy facility.
