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Legislators

Congress Demands Accountability for ICE Detainee's Death and Repeated Neglect at Adelanto ICE Processing Center

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Rep. Judy Chu led 31 Members of Congress in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Lyons, demanding answers and accountability regarding the untimely death of Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a 39-year-old resident of Westminster, California, who died while in ICE custody on September 22, 2025, after his repeated pleas for medical care were ignored. Mr. Ayala-Uribe's death is part of a larger pattern of neglect at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, which has been repeatedly cited for unsafe, unsanitary, and life-threatening conditions.

Key Takeaways:

  • 31 Members of Congress signed the letter, including Reps. Chu, Barragan, Brownley, and others, demanding accountability for the death of Ismael Ayala-Uribe and the repeated neglect at Adelanto ICE Processing Center.
  • The letter calls for a full accounting of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Ayala-Uribe's death, including the medical decisions made at Adelanto and what corrective actions are being implemented.
  • For over a decade, Rep. Chu has called for the closure of Adelanto, citing the long history of abuse, medical neglect, and human rights violations.
  • Since January 2025, at least 15 people have died in federal immigration custody, marking a sharp increase from previous years.
  • Rep. Chu's letter underscores the horrific, well-documented pattern of neglect at Adelanto, where detainees have endured conditions so dangerous and inhumane that they have led to multiple deaths.

Statistics:

  • At least 15 people have died in federal immigration custody since January 2025.
  • The Adelanto ICE Processing Center, operated by the GEO Group, has been repeatedly cited for unsafe, unsanitary, and life-threatening conditions.
  • Since 2025, there has been a sharp increase in deaths in federal immigration custody compared to previous years.
  • For over a decade, Rep. Chu has been advocating for the closure of Adelanto due to its history of abuse, medical neglect, and human rights violations.

Sources:

  • The office of California Rep. Judy Chu
  • Reps. Barragan (CA-44), Brownley (CA-26), Carbajal (CA-24), Casar (TX-35), Cisneros (CA-31), Clarke (NY-09), Correa (CA-46), Espaillat (NY-13), Friedman (CA-30), Garamendi (CA-08), García (CA-42), Garcia (IL-04), Goldman (NY-10), Jayapal (WA-07), Johnson (GA-04), Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Lieu (CA-36), McGovern (MA-02), Min (CA-47), Mullin (CA-15), Rivas (CA-29), Sanchez (CA-38), Simon (CA-12), Smith (WA-09), Stansbury (NM-01), Takano (CA-39), Tlaib (MI-12), Torres (CA-35), Tran (CA-45), Vargas (CA-52), and Velazquez (NY-07)

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