️ Antonia Tovar last spoke to her partner of nearly 40 years, Jose Guadalupe Ramos, via Zoom one afternoon in late March. He promised to call back but was pronounced dead at 9:30 pm. Ramos, 52, died inside the Adelanto immigration detention center in California, where he had been held for a month.

️ His death is part of a rising number of fatalities in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. At least 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025, the year President Donald Trump began his second term. That marks a 290% increase over 2024, when only 11 deaths were reported. Experts say the rate is on track to be even higher.

️ Tovar blames Adelanto officials for failing to prevent her husband's death. She claims staff ignored his worsening health and delayed calling an ambulance. The family's lawyer, Jesus Arias, alleges that conditions at Adelanto, including mold and inadequate medical care, contributed to Ramos's death.

️ ICE records show Ramos had diabetes and hypertension, but the family says he did not receive proper care. ICE denies a spike in deaths, stating the death rate is 0.009% of the detained population. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims detention centers maintain high standards.

️ Ramos's death has sparked international condemnation. Mexico's Foreign Ministry denounced conditions at ICE centers as incompatible with human rights. President Claudia Sheinbaum called for a full investigation and ordered consular visits to ICE centers to become daily.

️ Tovar, herself an undocumented immigrant, lives in fear of leaving her home. She is determined to seek justice for her husband's death. "This is what's keeping me going forward. We're going for justice," she said.

Source: www.aljazeera.com