Seven Migrant Deaths in ICE Custody During Trump's Second Term Prompt Calls for Investigation
In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term, seven migrants died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. El País reviewed three cases, finding a pattern of rapid health decline despite initial good health. Makysm Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian, died after seizures and a stroke. Marie Blaise, a Haitian woman, died after ignored chest pains. Genry Ruiz Guillén, a Honduran, also died under unclear circumstances. These deaths have led to calls for independent investigations and scrutiny of ICE's medical care amid concerns of overcrowding and inadequate treatment.
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05/06 02:31
Seven Migrant Deaths in ICE Custody During Trump's Second Term Prompt Calls for Investigation
In the first 100 days of President Donald Trump's second term, seven migrants died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. El País reviewed three cases, finding a pattern of rapid health decline despite initial good health. Makysm Chernyak, a 44-year-old Ukrainian, died after seizures and a stroke. Marie Blaise, a Haitian woman, died after ignored chest pains. Genry Ruiz Guillén, a Honduran, also died under unclear circumstances. These deaths have led to calls for independent investigations and scrutiny of ICE's medical care amid concerns of overcrowding and inadequate treatment.
A Pattern of Decline: Three Cases Reviewed
El País reviewed ICE’s publicly released reports on three of the seven deaths. In each case, the detainees were medically evaluated upon intake and found to be in stable condition. However, their health deteriorated quickly during detention.
Makysm Chernyak: From Healthy to Brain Dead in Weeks
Makysm Chernyak, a Ukrainian national, was arrested in January 2025 on assault charges and transferred to an ICE detention facility in Miami. Upon arrival, he was reportedly in good health, aside from an elevated heart rate. In mid-February, he began experiencing symptoms including nasal congestion and a cough, prompting several visits to the facility’s clinic.
On February 18, Chernyak was found vomiting and trembling in his cell. While awaiting hospital transfer, he suffered six seizures and vomited blood. Doctors later determined he had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and was brain dead. He was declared dead two days later.
Marie Blaise: Chest Pains Ignored
Marie Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian woman, was detained on February 12 in the U.S. Virgin Islands after attempting to board a flight to North Carolina without a valid immigration visa. She was later transferred to a detention center in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
On April 25, Blaise began complaining of chest pains. According to another detainee interviewed by the Miami Herald, she was given pills and told to rest. Hours later, she awoke screaming in pain and died that night. Her cause of death remains under investigation.
Florida Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, the only Haitian American member of Congress, has called for a full, independent investigation into Blaise’s death. “Marie had been complaining about chest pain for hours,” she said on the House floor. “They gave her some pills and told her to go lie down. Unfortunately, Marie never woke up.”
Genry Ruiz Guillén: A Third Death in Florida
The third case reviewed by El País involved Genry Ruiz Guillén, a 29-year-old Honduran man detained at the Krome North Service Processing Center in Florida. He died on January 23, 2025. Details surrounding his death have not been fully disclosed, but like the others, he was reportedly in good health upon arrival.
Four More Deaths Across the U.S.
In addition to the three deaths in Florida, four other migrants died in ICE custody in Texas, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and Missouri. ICE has not yet released public reports on these cases. The lack of transparency has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and lawmakers alike.
ICE is required to report all in-custody deaths within 90 days. However, as of May 6, 2025, only three of the seven deaths have been documented publicly.
Medical Negligence and Systemic Failures
A 2024 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) found that 95% of deaths in ICE-operated facilities between 2017 and 2021 could have been prevented with appropriate medical care. The report also revealed that in 88% of reviewed cases, ICE medical staff made incorrect, inappropriate, or incomplete diagnoses.
El País’ analysis of the three recent deaths aligns with these findings. All three individuals were reportedly healthy upon intake and experienced rapid health declines that were not adequately addressed by facility medical staff.
ICE, in a statement, maintained that detainees receive proper care: “All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health screening and 24-hour emergency care at each detention facility.”
However, the accounts of Chernyak, Blaise, and Ruiz Guillén suggest otherwise. In each case, symptoms were either misdiagnosed or not treated with the urgency required, leading to fatal outcomes.
Overcrowding and Strained Resources
Migrant advocates have warned that conditions in ICE detention centers have worsened since President Trump’s return to office. The administration’s aggressive deportation agenda has pushed facilities 17% over capacity, according to El País. This overcrowding may be contributing to lapses in medical care and oversight.
The Trump administration has pledged to carry out mass deportations, with a target of one million removals per year. In the first 100 days alone, deportations exceeded 152,000. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under Secretary Kristi Noem, has emphasized the detention of individuals accused of crimes, including theft, assault, and immigration violations.
Public and Political Response
The deaths have sparked outrage among immigrant rights groups and lawmakers. Representative Cherfilus-McCormick’s call for an independent investigation into Blaise’s death reflects growing concern over the lack of accountability within ICE.
Despite ICE’s assurances, the pattern of preventable deaths and the agency’s limited transparency have fueled skepticism. Advocates argue that the current system fails to protect the basic human rights of detainees, particularly in the area of medical care.
