ICE detainee from El Salvador passes away at a San Antonio hospital

SAN ANTONIO — A 47-year-old El Salvadoran national, who was being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since Oct. 2, passed away Thursday night at Metropolitan Methodist Hospital (MMH) in San Antonio.

Alberto Umana-Martinez was transferred to ICE custody from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol on Oct. 2 after he was apprehended at the Sarita, Texas, CBP checkpoint. On Oct. 10, he was admitted to MMH due to complications from leukemia.

Consistent with ICE protocol, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have also been informed. ICE notified El Salvadoran consular officials and Umana-Martinez’s next of kin. Umana-Martinez is the first detainee to pass away in ICE custody in fiscal year 2015.

As a standard practice, ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility will conduct a full review.