Questions remain around the death of Ernesto Rocha-Cuadra; tragedy marks fifth death at Louisiana immigration detention center since The facility has a disturbing track record of death and abuse. Ernesto was recommended for release by an ICE panel in November , but officials at the Jena location declined to release him. His death from an alleged cardiac arrest marks the fifth death in ICE custody at Jena since According to his attorneys, Ernesto was petitioning for his freedom through a writ of habeas corpus and, as confirmed by the Executive Office of Immigration Review, he was slated for an immigration hearing on July 9.
The details leading up to this tragic death are still unclear, and his attorneys say Ernesto never mentioned having, nor did his medical records reflect, any heart-related medical issues. ICE incarcerated Ernesto for over a year during which he suffered extensive time in solitary confinement.
The practice is so psychologically destructive that the United Nations considers the imposition of segregation for longer than 15 days to violate international law. Repeated inspections and even investigations by oversight agencies, such as the U. Immigration detention of any form and any length has proven deadly. Despite the ongoing deaths, human rights violations and impunity on the part of ICE and CBP, the Biden administration has elected to increase detention numbers in both agencies.
The total number of people in ICE custody has increased by 39 percent since the end of the Title 42 asylum ban in early May. Our message is, we want to know what happened to our Ernesto and we will not stop until we find out. We will not be silenced as our community continues to be killed in these cages and by the immigration enforcement system. Just like Ernesto, I suffered unjust and cruel solitary confinement against my will in Jena because I am a transgender woman.
Yet the Biden administration continues with plans to expand immigrant detention and refuses to hold ICE accountable for these deaths. They abuse us in these ICE centers when we stand up for rights. Ernesto should be alive β and free β today. GEO Group, now a near-billion-dollar company, opened the Jena facility in December as a juvenile detention center.
