Yassamin Ansari

03/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/10/2026 17:00

Reps. Ansari, Grijalva, and Stanton Demand Investigation into Death of Haitian Asylum Seeker Emmanuel Damas Held in ICE Custody

Washington, D.C. - Representatives Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), and Greg Stanton (AZ-04) sent a letter to outgoing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem demanding a full investigation into the death of Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian asylum seeker who died after reportedly being denied adequate medical care while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after complaining about a toothache to facility staff.

Mr. Damas had been detained for four months at the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona. According to reports, beginning on February 12, 2026, he told facility staff he was experiencing severe tooth pain and repeatedly requested medical care. On March 2, 2026, he ultimately passed away from a septic infection.

In their letter, the lawmakers highlight the adverse consequences of the Trump Administration's rush to expand detention capacity on the health of detainees, noting that Mr. Damas was the tenth person to die in ICE custody just two months into 2026.

They write:

"His death is unacceptable and raises grave concerns over treatment and quality of healthcare that individuals in ICE custody receive. We cannot allow policies that dramatically expand detention levels and lead to overcrowded facilities to undermine the medical care and treatment that every human being in federal detention is entitled to. DHS has a responsibility to protect and ensure the health and well-being of every person in its custody, and we demand a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of Mr. Damas."

The lawmakers also demanded the release of Mr. Damas' full medical examiner's report, a complete timeline of his medical complaints to staff, and all medical records related to the care he received while in ICE Custody.

You can view a full copy of the letter here.

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Yassamin Ansari published this content on March 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 10, 2026 at 23:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]