ICE says a Cuban man died during a suicide attempt. A witness says a guard fatally choked him

Geraldo Lunas Campos, a Cuban immigrant, died on January 3, 2026, at an ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas. ICE stated that Lunas Campos was attempting suicide and staff intervened. However, a witness claims that guards handcuffed, tackled, and choked Lunas Campos until he lost consciousness. The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office informed the family that a preliminary autopsy report classified the death as a homicide. The incident is under investigation due to the conflicting accounts of the events leading to Lunas Campos' death.

Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban migrant detained by ICE at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, died on January 3rd. ICE initially stated he died after experiencing medical distress, but a preliminary medical examiner's report indicates the cause of death was "asphyxia due to neck and chest compression." The medical examiner's office is reportedly preparing to classify the death as a homicide, pending toxicology results. Lunas Campos's death is one of several recent fatalities among ICE detainees, including at least one other at Camp East Montana, which has faced criticism for alleged abuse and inhumane conditions. ICE stated Lunas Campos was put in segregation after becoming disruptive while in line for medication, and staff observed him in distress.