MIAMI (AP) — A 19-year-old Mexican migrant died at a county jail in Florida that has been housing immigrant detainees, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to ICE, Royer Perez-Jimenez “died of presumed suicide,” although his official cause of death remains under investigation.
The death of Perez-Jimenez on Monday is the 46th reported under Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since the start of President Donald Trump’s administration in January 2025. Perez-Jimenez is the youngest detainee to die in ICE custody since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Perez-Jimenez’s situation is unfortunately not an isolated incident. Following his death, concerns regarding conditions in ICE facilities have resurfaced, emphasizing the isolation and suffering faced by detainees.
“Immigration detention system deprives people of freedom, isolates people away from loved ones, and subjects people to abysmal conditions,” said Carly Pérez Fernández, communications director at Detention Watch Network, a national coalition advocating against immigrant detention.
The Mexican teenager was arrested on Jan. 22 by sheriff’s officers in Volusia County, Florida, charged with a felony for impersonation and resisting an officer. He was later transferred to ICE custody a month later.
Florida has become notorious for its detention centers, which have seen numerous abuses reported, including inadequate medical care, unsanitary conditions, and prolonged detention without trial. These facilities continue to attract scrutiny as they house some of the most vulnerable individuals in society.
Detention policies that allow prolonged confinement without fair legal recourse have come under fire, as they create an environment where such tragic incidents can occur without accountability. The immigrant community and advocates will likely press for further investigations and reforms within ICE and its facilities in the wake of this tragedy.
