A man held at a U.S. immigration detention center in Arizona died this week after suffering severe tooth pain and reportedly not receiving timely medical care. Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker, felt a toothache starting in mid-February. His condition worsened, leading to a hospitalization where he later passed away.
City council member Christine Ellis expressed deep concern over the situation, stressing the troubling lack of medical attention for detainees. She posted on Instagram, highlighting the need for better care in these facilities.
Damas had been taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Boston in September 2025 and later moved to the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona. Ellis called for an investigation, noting that Damas suffered for nearly two weeks before collapsing due to a severe infection.
Damas’s death hasn’t been reported by ICE yet. So far in 2026, at least nine individuals have died in custody, with a total of 32 fatalities documented last year. This marked the deadliest year for ICE detainees in over two decades.
This tragic incident reflects broader issues within the immigration detention system. According to researchers at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), inadequate medical care in detention centers is a systemic problem. Many detainees report having their medical needs ignored, leading to severe outcomes.
As the ICE continues to face scrutiny, the overall safety and well-being of detainees are under the spotlight. With deaths on the rise, calls for reform grow louder, emphasizing the urgent need for measurable improvements in healthcare for those in custody.
For ongoing updates and detailed statistics on immigration detention, you can refer to ICE’s official reports or resources like the ACLU.
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