In brief
Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant, died in an immigration detention center in Texas after being restrained by guards. An autopsy ruled the death a homicide, revealing injuries consistent with asphyxia due to compression of his neck and torso. Witnesses claim he was handcuffed and choked. ICE initially reported he was attempting suicide but later actions from DHS contradicted this account. Lunas Campos had a history of mental health issues but no prior records of violent behavior.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide.
Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff at Camp East Montana tried to save him.
A witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down, and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious.
The autopsy report by the El Paso County Medical Examiner’s Office found Lunas Campos’ body showed signs of a struggle, including abrasions on his chest and knees, along with hemorrhages on his neck. Dr. Adam Gonzalez, the deputy medical examiner, determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.
The report indicated that witnesses saw Lunas Campos “become unresponsive while being physically restrained by law enforcement.” It cited evidence of injuries to his neck, head, and torso associated with physical restraint.
Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist, reviewed the autopsy report for AP and stated the presence of petechiae in the eyes “tend to support” the conclusion that asphyxia caused the death. Those injuries suggested pressure on the body, which is often associated with such deaths.
He noted the contusions on Lunas Campos’ body may reflect physical restraint, while the neck injuries were consistent with pressure being applied.
The autopsy also mentioned the presence of prescription antidepressants and antihistamines, revealing that Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety.
The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on the autopsy report. ICE's initial narrative of the incident, which omitted any mention of a struggle with guards, indicated that Lunas Campos had become disruptive and was subsequently placed in segregation.
However, as of last Thursday, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Lunas Campos had attempted suicide and claimed guards attempted to assist him during a struggle leading to him stopping breathing and losing consciousness.
Camp Montana East, situated at Fort Bliss, is being constructed as what could become the largest detention facility in the U.S., with a budget of $1.2 billion and operated by a private contractor without prior experience in managing correctional facilities.
Lunas Campos arrived at the facility in September after being arrested by ICE in Rochester, New York, where he had lived for over twenty years. He was initially legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996 as part of a group of Cuban immigrants.
ICE stated that he was apprehended in July as part of a planned immigration operation due to criminal convictions that made him eligible for removal, including a felony conviction in 2003.
