Vietnamese national dies in ICE custody

SAN ANTONIO — Tien Xuan Phan, a 55-year-old citizen of Vietnam in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was pronounced deceased by the Methodist Hospital Northeast at 5:48 p.m. July 19. The cause of death is still under investigation.

Phan was being detained at the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center in Karnes City. Phan was taken to Otto Kaiser Memorial Hospital on July 18 for evaluation due to seizures, vomiting and unresponsiveness, and was later airlifted to the Methodist Hospital Northeast for further evaluation. 

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations deportation officers arrested Phan June 2. Phan was ordered removed by an immigration judge on April 2, 2012, but failed to leave the U.S. as ordered. 

Consistent with ICE policy, ERO notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via the Integrity Coordination Center. ERO provided notification of the death to the Vietnam Embassy.

ICE makes official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders, and the media upon an official report of a detained illegal alien’s death and posts a news release with relevant details on the ICE public website within two business days per agency policy. This information may be accessed in the ICE.gov Newsroom. Additionally, congressional requirements described in the DHS Appropriations Bill of 2018 require ICE to make public all reports regarding an in-custody death within 90 days.

These reports may be accessed on the Detainee Death Reporting page.

ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.