A 32-year-old Mexican citizen, Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas, has died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Arizona, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. Batrez Vargas was being held at the Central Arizona Correctional Complex in Florence and passed away on August 31 at Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa; however, the details surrounding the cause of his death remain unclear, and investigations are ongoing with a report expected within 90 days.
Before his death, Batrez Vargas faced legal issues beginning with a DUI arrest in March 2018 by Flagstaff Police and a subsequent 10-day sentence, after his conviction, he encountered the law again in March 2024 for DUI charges, leading to another conviction in May 2024, then on August 2, he was arrested on felony drug charges, resulting in him being taken into ICE custody, processed at the Phoenix ICE office, and finally transferred to the detention facility where he later died. According to AZ Family, ICE officials insist all detainees receive medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, and also, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.
The death of Batrez Vargas raises questions about the conditions under which individuals are detained by ICE. The agency stated, “ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments,” in a statement obtained by AZ Family. Furthermore, they added, “At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”…