According to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a 19-year-old Mexican man, who was being held in detention in Florida’s Glades County, has died of a presumed suicide. The official cause of his death is still under investigation.
Royer Perez-Jimenez was reportedly found “unconscious and unresponsive” by a detention officer. The official immediately called a medical emergency in the dormitory. Despite prompt action from the staff, Perez soon passed away.
ICE said that Perez “denied any behavioral health issues or concerns and answered ‘no’ to all suicide screening questions” at the time of his admission to the jail.
New reporting has uncovered the death of a teenager in Florida ICE custody.
Royer Perez-Jimenez appears to be the youngest person to die in ICE custody in Trump’s second term. pic.twitter.com/SCANRTehxX
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) March 19, 2026
According to the official report, he initially entered the U.S. in February, 2022. He was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol and returned to Mexico voluntarily on the same day. However, he managed to return sometime later, which is considered a federal felony.
According to media reports, Perez, who was arrested by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office in January, is now the youngest person to die in the department’s custody during Donald Trump’s second term as president.
He had been charged with “felony fraud for impersonation and misdemeanor resisting an officer.”
The department released an official statement after his passing.
The statement reads, “Royer Perez-Jimenez, 19, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who was arrested and charged with felony fraud for impersonation and resisting an officer, passed away March 16 at the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven. He was pronounced deceased at 2:51 a.m.”
Royer Perez-Jimenez died at the Glades County Detention Facility on March 18, 2026, “after being found unresponsive in his cell.” https://t.co/B9bmOb4hIw
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) March 20, 2026
It continued, “Staff started cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Two medical personnel responded a couple of minutes later, determined Perez to be without a pulse, and took over CPR.
They requested emergency medical services. At approximately 2:42 a.m., Moore Haven Fire Rescue EMS arrived at the Glades County Detention Center and initiated life-sustaining interventions on Perez.”
Detention Watch Network, a watchdog group that is working to bring an end to immigrant detention, said that there have been more than 42 immigrant deaths in custody since Trump returned to office.
The Mexican government has strongly condemned Perez’s death. It urged the authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly. The country’s Foreign Ministry has released an official statement with a request to ensure such unfortunate events don’t repeat themselves.
“The Government of Mexico reiterates that these deaths are unacceptable and once again calls on immigration authorities to carry out a prompt and thorough investigation to clarify the circumstances that led to this death, determine responsibility, and establish effective guarantees of non-repetition,” the statement read.
