ICE reports death of illegal alien in custody in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas - Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old illegal alien from Nicaragua, died in ICE custody Jan. 14 at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas. He was pronounced deceased at 4:09 p.m.

Contract security staff found Diaz unconscious and unresponsive in his room. They immediately notified contract medical staff on site to conduct life saving measures. At 3:35 p.m. (MST) El Paso EMS was notified. At 3:45 p.m. (MST), EMS arrived and continued life saving measures on the Diaz. He was pronounced deceased by EMS at 4:09 p.m. (MST), on January 14, 2026.

He died of a presumed suicide; however, the official cause of his death remains under investigation.

Diaz entered ICE custody on Jan. 6. ICE officers encountered him in Minneapolis, Minnesota and determined he was unlawfully present in the United States. He was subsequently arrested for an immigration violation.

According to ICE records, Diaz illegally entered the United States on March 26, 2024, when he was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border. After processing, he was served a notice to appear before an immigration judge and released on parole pending his court date.

An immigration judge ordered Diaz removed in absentia on Aug. 26, 2025. On Jan. 12, ICE processed him as a final order of removal and detained him pending removal from the United States.

ICE makes official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders and the media upon official reports of in-custody alien deaths and posts news releases with relevant details on ICE's public website. You may access this information in ICE.gov's Newsroom. Congressional requirements described in the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018 require ICE to publicize all reports regarding in-custody deaths within 90 days. You may access these reports on ICE.gov's Detainee Death Reporting page.    

ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility; a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility; access to medical appointments; and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergency care.