Minneapolis ICE arrest ends with detainee’s death at El Paso’s Camp East Montana detention facility

What happened

A 36-year-old Nicaraguan man taken into federal custody in Minneapolis earlier this month was found unresponsive in an immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, and later pronounced dead. Federal officials have described the death as a presumed suicide, while noting that the official cause remains under investigation.

The man, identified as Victor Manuel Diaz, entered federal immigration custody on Jan. 6, 2026, after officers encountered him in Minneapolis and determined he was unlawfully present in the United States. He was held at Camp East Montana, a large detention complex in the El Paso area near Fort Bliss.

Timeline and facility response

On Jan. 14, 2026, contract security staff at Camp East Montana found Diaz unconscious and unresponsive in his room. Medical personnel on site began life-saving measures, and El Paso Emergency Medical Services were notified at 3:35 p.m. local time. EMS arrived about 10 minutes later and continued resuscitation efforts. Diaz was pronounced dead at 4:09 p.m.

Federal authorities said they are treating the death as a presumed suicide pending the outcome of ongoing reviews.

Immigration case background

Federal records state Diaz entered the United States on March 26, 2024, when he was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol on the U.S. side of the U.S.–Mexico border. After processing, he was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and released on parole while awaiting immigration proceedings.

Public reporting indicates Diaz later faced a removal order issued in absentia in 2025 after missing an immigration court date, and that a final removal order was issued shortly before his death.

Broader scrutiny of Camp East Montana

Diaz’s death occurred amid heightened attention on Camp East Montana following other recent in-custody deaths there. In a separate case, a 55-year-old Cuban detainee died at the facility on Jan. 3, 2026; preliminary medical examiner findings reported by multiple outlets have described neck and chest compression as the cause, with the manner of death potentially to be classified as homicide pending additional testing. A federal investigation has been reported in connection with that case.

What remains unknown

• The final autopsy findings and official cause and manner of Diaz’s death.
• Whether additional oversight actions will follow regarding conditions, staffing, medical care, or use-of-force practices at Camp East Montana.
• The results and scope of ongoing investigations tied to other deaths at the same facility.

In-custody deaths in immigration detention typically trigger notification and review processes, while cause-of-death determinations depend on medical examiner findings and any investigative results.

In Minnesota, the case has prompted calls from elected officials for further examination of the circumstances surrounding Diaz’s death and conditions at the El Paso facility.