U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Apr. 16 that Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, a 27-year-old Cuban national, died while in ICE custody at a federal detention center in Miami.
The case draws attention to the circumstances surrounding deaths in immigration detention and the procedures followed by authorities after such incidents.
According to ICE, Carbonell-Betancourt was discovered by a Federal Detention Center officer on April 12 at approximately 6:30 a.m. in what appeared to be a suicide attempt. The officer called for medical assistance, and staff began cardiopulmonary resuscitation before City of Miami Fire Rescue arrived and continued life-saving efforts. Despite these measures, Carbonell-Betancourt was pronounced dead at around 7:31 a.m. by Miami Fire Rescue personnel.
ICE reported that the death is presumed to be a suicide but stated that the official cause remains under investigation. Carbonell-Betancourt had entered the United States on October 30, 2024, where he was encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as an immigrant without valid documents and released on parole after being issued a Notice to Appear. He later came into ICE custody following his arrest for resisting an officer with violence at the Miami Dade County Jail on November 22, 2025, and was transferred into ICE custody on February 11, pending removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Following established protocols, Enforcement and Removal Operations notified relevant agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Office of Inspector General, ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via its Integrity Coordination Center, as well as notifying Carbonell-Betancourt’s next of kin or designated contact and the Cuban Embassy according to international laws.
ICE said it makes official notifications about in-custody deaths available through its public website within required timelines set forth by Congress under provisions from the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018.
The agency also stated: “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay… At no time during detention is a detained noncitizen denied emergency care.”
