The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has received renewed scrutiny for neglect that led to a detainee’s death after his serious tooth infection received delayed treatment.
Emmanuel Damas, a 56-year-old Haitian asylum seeker, died on March 2, 2026, in HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center after being detained by ICE and was in custody at the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona. He was arrested in Boston in Sept. 15 and later transferred to the center.
According to The Guardian, the asylum seeker had been complaining of a severe toothache since February. He repeatedly pointed out that he did not get “timely medical attention.” Damas was taken to the HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center in Scottsdale only when the pain became unbearable.
He remained on a ventilator and underwent surgery to drain the infection over the course of a couple of days. The damage was done, and he eventually died. The doctor at the medical center ruled the cause of death as unknown at this time”.
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The detailed report found that Damas died from deadly mediastinitis with neck and throat abscess. These are serious, life-threatening infections that developed from severe tooth decay and untreated cavities.
This case is one of multiple recent deaths of immigrants in ICE custody. Advocates say these deaths were preventable with earlier treatment. According to Haitian Times, in 2025 alone, ICE reported 33 detainee deaths, which the highest annual total recorded in more than two decades. The figure includes the deaths of two other Haitian immigrants.
One of them was 41-year-old Jean Wilson Brutus. He died on Dec. 12 in University Hospital in Newark, just hours after being transferred to Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey.
As the family mourned his unexpected death, they were furious at the Trump administration’s claim that Brutus was an “illegal alien.” Brutus had escaped brutal violence in Haiti and sought asylum in the United States. Relatives have since hired civil rights attorneys to pursue an independent investigation into his death.
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Similarly, 44-year-old Marie Ange Blaise died at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. Blaise had been detained in the U.S. Virgin Islands during an immigration encounter in February 2025. She passed away two months later. Allegations emerged that she did not receive adequate medical care while in custody.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) monitors ICE arrests and continues to investigate the details surrounding her death. Presner Nelson and Emmanuel Damas spoke to ABC15. Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari also condemned the details surrounding Damas’ death. “No one should die under such horrific conditions,” he wrote in a social media post.
The number of detainees arrested, detained, and deported from the U.S. has risen sharply. This increase followed Donald Trump’s return to office for his second term. According to AOL, more than 60,000 detainees are held inside the centers across the country. Critics warn that delayed medical treatment and overcrowding put lives at risk. Poor healthcare in these facilities is also a concern.
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In March, former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stepped down from her position. She faced media scrutiny over misusing funds. The agency allegedly used the funds for government-backed ads. These ads promoted deportation policies.
Moreover, the public backlash grew after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota. Their deaths caused widespread national protests.
Many people were furious after the back-to-back deaths of the civilians. They claimed that Kristi Noem’s alleged behavior regarding ICE arrests led to her removal. Donald Trump appointed Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem and he took over on March 31.
