The recent death of 55-year-old Geraldo Lunas Campos has raised serious concerns about the treatment of detainees in immigration facilities. He died on January 3 at a federal detention center in El Paso, with the El Paso Medical Examiner later ruling his death a homicide. The autopsy revealed that he suffered “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression,” indicating he couldn’t breathe because of pressure on his body.
Initial reports from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) described his death as a result of “medical distress.” A week later, they changed the narrative, claiming he died after an attempted suicide, which their staff tried to prevent. This shift in details came after media reports suggested the medical examiner would rule it a homicide.
Lunas Campos, who had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, was restrained by law enforcement when he became unresponsive. His death is part of a troubling trend. He was the third detainee to die at Camp East Montana, a facility hastily built to handle the sharp rise in detentions following a crackdown on immigration. Initially capable of holding around 5,000 people, it is currently housing an increasing number of immigrants.
In the last few months, four deaths have been recorded in Texas immigration facilities, three at Camp East Montana. Just weeks before Lunas Campos, Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a 48-year-old Guatemalan, died from liver and kidney failure, while Victor Manuel Diaz, aged 34, was found unconscious days after Lunas Campos died. Meanwhile, Luis Gustavo Núñez, 42, passed away from chronic heart issues at another detention center.
Lunas Campos had lived in Rochester, New York for nearly two decades before his arrest in July 2025. Despite an immigration judge ordering his deportation in 2005, complications in procuring travel documents delayed this process. His story highlights the larger issues of mental health support and the conditions faced by detainees in the system.
According to the American Immigrant Justice Center, the treatment and conditions in immigration detention centers have faced scrutiny due to inadequate mental health care and overcrowding. The ongoing investigations into these deaths point to a need for reform. It’s crucial that policymakers prioritize humane treatment and proper oversight to prevent further tragedies in these facilities.
For a deeper analysis of the state of immigration detention centers, you can read a detailed report from the American Civil Liberties Union.
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