A man who died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's custody Saturday was identified Tuesday as an immigrant from Guatemala, the agency announced.
Roberto Jimenez Gutiérrez, 43, was found unresponsive in his cell at the CoreCivic Otay Mesa Detention Center around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, according to CoreCivic, the Tennessee- based private-prison company that runs the facility.
"Responding medical staff arrived quickly, began lifesaving measures and called for emergency medical services," CoreCivic said in a statement. "EMS arrived and continued those efforts, but the individual was pronounced deceased before being transported from the facility.''
According to ICE, Paramedics pronounced him dead around 12:35 p.m.
The agency said Jimenez was arrested in Escondido on Oct. 9 during an enforcement stop. He has a prior deportation order, the agency said.
Pedro Rios with the American Friends Service Committee said these types of deaths are preventable.
"We're seeing more people that are being apprehended. Less attention to the concerns of health conditions, and just no oversight about how people are detained under ICE," he said. "And that's why we point to these deaths being completely preventable."
According to the National Immigrants Project, at least 30 people have died in ICE custody this year. Jimenez’s cause of death is under investigation.
Supervisors Terra Lawson-Reemer and Paloma Aguirre on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to stop obstructing the county from conducting health inspections at the Otay Mesa Facility.
