18th Death in ICE Custody This Year Presumed Suicide Amid Ongoing Pattern of Neglect

Denny Adan Gonzalez, a 33-year-old Cuban national held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, was found unresponsive on April 28 and later pronounced dead. According to an ICE press release, CoreCivic staff discovered Gonzalez’s condition and emergency responders attempted life-saving measures before his death at 11:11 p.m. ICE claims his death was a suspected suicide, but the official cause remains under investigation.

The circumstances leading to Gonzalez’s death are troubling. Reports from Andrew Free of #DetentionKills reveal Gonzalez was placed in solitary confinement after an alleged altercation with a guard that left the officer unconscious. This incident raises serious questions about the treatment of detainees and the conditions that may drive individuals to self-harm.

Gonzalez’s immigration history reflects the cyclical nature of detention and deportation. He first entered the U.S. in 2019 near Hidalgo, Texas, was deemed inadmissible by Customs and Border Protection, and ordered removed to Cuba later that year. After a removal in early 2020, he re-entered the U.S., was encountered by Border Patrol in 2022, and subsequently placed under ICE supervision. He was arrested in 2025 on assault and domestic violence charges and transferred to Stewart Detention Center in 2026.

This death is the 18th reported in ICE custody this year and the fourth suicide at Stewart since 2017, according to The Guardian. Notably, it is the second presumed suicide reported in April 2026 alone. Past ICE declarations of suicide have been challenged; for instance, the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, also a Cuban detainee, was initially labeled “attempted self-harm” by ICE but later ruled a homicide by medical examiners.

Despite congressional mandates requiring ICE to publicly release detainee death reports within 90 days, no official report on Gonzalez’s death has been issued. This ongoing lack of transparency impedes accountability and obscures the true conditions inside detention facilities.

Meanwhile, ICE continues aggressive raids across Southern California, with community watchers documenting numerous detentions and kidnappings from April 29 to May 1. Locations include Oxnard, Escondido, San Bernardino, and San Diego, where ICE agents have been seen detaining individuals in public spaces, workplaces, and near courthouses. These raids compound the trauma inflicted by the detention system and highlight the urgent need for reform.

The repeated deaths, especially under suspicious circumstances, expose a systemic failure in ICE’s detention practices and the deadly consequences of outsourcing custody to private prison operators like CoreCivic. As the death toll mounts, so does the demand for transparency, humane treatment of detainees, and an end to policies that prioritize incarceration over dignity and justice.

We will continue monitoring ICE detention deaths and ongoing raids, providing updates and analysis to hold those responsible accountable. Stay informed and engaged—this crisis is about human lives, not just headlines.