Mexico City, Mexico — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested an ICE investigation into the death of a Mexican national. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the Mexican national died while in ICE custody.
The SRE (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores) reported on the tragic death of a Mexican citizen in ICE custody at the Processing Center in Adelanto, California.
“An immediate and thorough investigation has been demanded into the conditions that led to the deaths of Mexican nationals in the custody of this agency in order to determine responsibility and ensure that such incidents do not occur again,” the SRE stated in a press release.
Given the seriousness of the events, the Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino immediately activated consular protection protocols and established urgent communication with the authorities to request detailed information about the circumstances of the death.
A formal request was made for the medical records, custody reports and all other relevant information that would allow for a full clarification of what occurred.
Consulate protection personnel have provided close and ongoing support to the family of the deceased. The head of the Consulate established direct contact to express condolences and offer any necessary legal assistance, as well as support with the arrangements for the repatriation of his remains.
Addressing these types of situations and establishing mechanisms to resolve them are priorities for the Government of Mexico.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally requested an investigation into the systemic conditions that have led to such regrettable events. It is reiterated that the protection of the human rights of Mexican citizens abroad is a priority for the Government of Mexico.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 48 year old Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, died in ICE custody Feb. 27 at Victor Valley Global Medical Center in Victorville.
He was pronounced deceased at 12:58 a.m. after being hospitalized for chest pain and shortness of breath. Gutierrez entered the United States at an unknown date and location without inspection.
U.S. Border Patrol arrested Gutierrez January 9 during immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles and transferred him to ICE custody. He was placed into immigration proceedings Jan. 11 for being present in the United States without admission and moved to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center Jan. 12, pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.
On January 12, his medical intake exam was conducted by a physician, and he reported no significant concerns. On February 25, Gutierrez reported feeling faint. An on-site medical provider ordered him transferred to Victor Valley Global Medical Center for evaluation, where he was admitted for chest pain and shortness of breath.
Early Feb. 27, he became unresponsive and medical staff-initiated life-saving measures. He was pronounced dead at 12:58 a.m. ICE notified the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Mexican consulate, as required by agency policy.
