Rep. Grijalva Statement on Death of Asylum Seeker at Florence Detention Facility: “A Toothache Should Not be a Death Sentence”

Washington D.C. - Today, Representative Adelita S. Grijalva released the following statement in response to reports on the death of a Haitian asylum seeker at a federal immigration detention center in Florence, Arizona. According to reports, the individual died of complications related to a toothache. This is the tenth death that has occurred in ICE custody just this year. In January, Rep. Grijalva joined her colleagues in demanding transparency on detention centers following a record number of deaths. 

Last week, Rep. Grijalva visited with detainees at detention facilities in both Florence and Eloy, Arizona, where she successfully advocated for the release of a 79 year-old grandmother who suffers from dementia after spending nine months in detention. 

“I am sickened by reports that yet another person has died in ICE custody after being left without basic medical care. A toothache should not be a death sentence,” said Rep. Grijalva. “How many more people have to die at federal detention facilities before we say enough is enough?”  

“Emmanuel Damas should be alive today. These are mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters – people dying from simple, treatable ailments because they are being treated as less than human. In other facilities, children with burning fevers are in medical distress because this administration is obsessed with meeting arbitrary deportation quotas, cramming people into detention facilities, and neglecting their most basic medical needs in order to maximize profits for private prison companies.  

“These deaths have occurred under Secretary Noem’s watch, which is one of a long list of reasons why she should resign. This is not about politics – it's about basic human dignity. I am absolutely disgusted by yet another preventable death in ICE custody, and am calling on DHS for an immediate investigation into this incident. Congress must act to dismantle ICE – a lawless and deadly agency.” 

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