A 19-year-old migrant from Mexico, Royer Perez-Jimenez, was found dead in a county jail in Florida that houses immigrant detainees, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency reported that Perez-Jimenez’s death, which occurred on Monday, is being treated as a presumed suicide, although the official cause of death is still under investigation.
### Context of the Incident
Royer Perez-Jimenez’s death marks the 46th reported death of an individual in ICE custody since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s administration in January 2025. This incident is particularly notable as it represents the second death in ICE custody within the same week, following the death of an Afghan immigrant who had been evacuated under U.S. protection. This Afghan immigrant died in a Texas hospital after being detained by immigration authorities.
Since the start of 2025, a alarming total of 13 individuals have died while in the custody of ICE. Perez-Jimenez stands out as the youngest person to have died in such circumstances since the commencement of Trump’s second term.
### Investigation and Response
The Florida prosecutor’s office has directed inquiries regarding the circumstances of Perez-Jimenez’s death to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, while the Office of the District 21 Medical Examiner has not yet responded to requests for the autopsy report.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Mexican government condemned the rising number of deaths in immigration detention facilities within the United States, labeling them “unacceptable.” The Mexican consulate in Miami has since visited the facility where Perez-Jimenez was held to request documentation surrounding the case.
The news of Perez-Jimenez’s death has raised concerns and condemnation from immigrant advocacy groups. Carly Pérez Fernández, communications director for the Detention Watch Network, highlighted the negative impacts of the immigration detention system, asserting that it deprives individuals of their freedom and subjects them to poor living conditions.
### Events Leading to the Death
According to ICE, Perez-Jimenez was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at 2:34 a.m. on Monday at the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven, Florida, a facility that was closed under President Joe Biden’s administration and later reopened under Trump’s term. Emergency protocols were quickly initiated by the officers who discovered him, including calling for medical assistance and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Medical personnel arrived on the scene shortly after but determined that Perez-Jimenez had no pulse. He was pronounced dead at 2:51 a.m., 17 minutes after being found.
Prior to his death, Perez-Jimenez had been arrested on January 22 by sheriff’s officers in Volusia County and faced charges of felony impersonation and resisting an officer. Subsequently, he was transferred to ICE custody approximately one month later. Notably, an inquiry by the Associated Press into his arrest report yielded no results from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
### Broader Implications and Concerns
Florida has been noted as a state that strongly aligns with Trump administration policies on immigration, hosting several prominent immigrant detention facilities. Reports from detainees have highlighted significant issues within these facilities, including inadequate living conditions characterized by unclean food and malfunctioning sanitation systems.
In light of the ongoing circumstances surrounding immigrant detention, the frequency of prolonged detentions has increased, largely attributed to new policies that restrict the ability of immigration judges to release detainees while their deportation cases are in progress. This has added to the growing concern over the welfare of individuals held in these facilities.
As investigations into Perez-Jimenez’s death continue, it raises critical questions about the treatment of detainees and the systemic issues contributing to the rising death toll in immigration custody. The community and advocacy groups are calling for thorough investigations to ensure accountability and implement changes aimed at protecting vulnerable individuals in similar situations.
Source: Original Reporting
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