A 42-year-old man being held as an ICE detainee at the Nassau County Correctional Center was found dead in his cell Thursday morning. This marks the first death of an ICE detainee at the county’s facility since its controversial agreement with federal immigration authorities began earlier this year.
The unidentified man was discovered unresponsive at 6:30 a.m. and was pronounced deceased by a police medic. He had been in custody for about 18 hours. The body was transported to the medical examiner’s office, where an investigation to determine the cause of death is underway.
The incident has drawn immediate scrutiny and calls for accountability from advocates and officials. The death follows concerns raised by state lawmakers in July about potential health issues and prolonged detentions within the facility. Both the Nassau County Sheriff’s office and the New York State Attorney General’s office are investigating the matter.
ICE detainee found dead in Nassau County jail
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)