A 19-year-old died in ICE custody in Florida, but what officials say happened is still under investigation

A 19-year-old Mexican man, Royer Perez-Jimenez, died while in detention with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Florida, with the agency confirming a presumed suicide while saying the official cause remains under investigation. As reported by BBC News, he was found unresponsive at the Glades County Detention Center on March 16.

ICE said Perez-Jimenez was found “unconscious and unresponsive” in his cell at 2:34 AM, and prison staff immediately began life-saving efforts. Those efforts were unsuccessful, and the agency said the circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated.

Perez-Jimenez had been arrested in January and faced charges of fraud for impersonation and misdemeanor resisting an officer. Officials also said he had entered the US illegally at an unknown date, and ICE said that when he was admitted to jail he denied any behavioral health issues and answered no to all suicide screening questions.

The death is drawing scrutiny beyond the detention center

The Mexican government has asked for more information about Perez-Jimenez’s death and called the case “unacceptable.” Its foreign ministry said immigration authorities should conduct a prompt and thorough investigation to clarify what happened, determine responsibility, and establish guarantees that it will not happen again, as debate over DHS leadership continues in Washington.

The case has also drawn attention because of Perez-Jimenez’s age. He is reportedly the youngest detainee to die in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office and began a nationwide immigration crackdown in January 2025.

According to Detention Watch Network, which opposes immigrant detention, more than 42 migrants have died in custody since Trump returned to office. The group has also pointed to deaths tied to immigration raids, as well as two US citizens who were shot by agents in Minnesota, amid wider federal criminal probes.

ICE statistics from the previous administration show 24 deaths were reported during former President Joe Biden’s four years in office. Perez-Jimenez’s death remains under investigation.