Hundreds gathered in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, Mexico, on April 4 to bury 19-year-old Royer Perez Jimenez, who died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in March. His family contests the circumstances surrounding his death and disputes the charges that led to his detention.
Perez Jimenez, originally from the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, was detained in January in Florida on allegations of resisting arrest and providing false identification. His uncle, Manuel Perez, told reporters that language barriers may have caused confusion during his arrest, and described Royer as a “hard worker” who immigrated to the U.S. at age 15 to support his family.
ICE officials reported that Perez Jimenez died on March 16 from an apparent suicide at the detention facility, although the cause of death remains under formal investigation. Agency records indicate that medical staff evaluated him upon arrival in late February and that he answered “no” to suicide screening questions.
Despite the official account, Perez and other family members expressed doubts, suspecting foul play rather than suicide. “They fabricated a crime,” the uncle said, calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into Royer’s death.
Rising Deaths in ICE Custody
The death of Perez Jimenez comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE detention centers, where at least 14 migrants have died so far in 2026. This follows a record number of detainee deaths in 2025, with 31 fatalities marking a two-decade high according to a CBS News analysis of agency records.
Since January 2025, 14 Mexican nationals have died after interacting with U.S. immigration authorities. The increase in deaths correlates with a surge in detainee populations, which reached over 68,000 in early 2026, driven by stringent immigration enforcement policies under the current administration.
Even when adjusted for population size, the death rate per 10,000 detainees in 2025 was the highest since 2020. Advocates and some officials have raised concerns about conditions and oversight in ICE detention centers in response to these statistics.
Why it matters
The death of Royer Perez Jimenez highlights ongoing questions about the treatment and safety of migrants in ICE custody. It adds to public and political pressure for accountability and reform within the immigration detention system amid growing criticism of facility conditions, detainee care, and investigation transparency.
The family’s demand for a comprehensive investigation underscores broader calls for scrutiny of detention practices, especially in cases involving young migrants and disputed causes of death.
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