Francisco Gaspar-Andrés, 48, died on 3 December after deteriorating health while held at Camp East Montana on Fort Bliss, Texas. ICE says the death resulted from complications of alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis and that medical staff provided continuous care; an autopsy attributed the death to complications of cirrhosis. His wife, Lucía Pedro Juan, was deported on 28 November and says she never saw or spoke with him again. Lawmakers and advocacy groups allege medical neglect and inhumane conditions at the facility and are pressing DHS and ICE for greater transparency and oversight.
Guatemalan Man Dies in ICE Custody at Fort Bliss; Wife Deported Before She Could See Him
ICE detention facility being built at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, on 8 August 2025.Photograph: Paul Ratje/Reuters
Francisco Gaspar-Andrés, 48, has been reported as the first person to die in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Camp East Montana tent facility on Fort Bliss, Texas. He died on 3 December at a hospital in El Paso after a period of declining health while in ICE custody.
What Officials Say
ICE said it suspects the death resulted from "natural liver and kidney failure" and that its medical staff provided "constant, high-quality care" once notified of his health crisis. In an agency press release, ICE outlined a series of escalating medical complaints during his roughly 10 weeks in Texas, including flu-like symptoms, bleeding gums, fever, jaundice and hypertension. ICE said an immigration judge ordered his removal to Guatemala on 14 November, and he was hospitalized on 16 November as his condition worsened.
Family Account
Gaspar-Andrés’s wife of 25 years, Lucía Pedro Juan, was deported on 28 November after being held at the same Fort Bliss facility and says she was never able to visit or speak with her husband before his death. Pedro Juan told reporters she and her husband were arrested in south Florida in September after a traffic stop. The couple had lived near Homestead, Florida, for many years and raised five children there.
“I never saw him again, I never spoke to him or heard his voice again. It’s something terrible they did to us,” Pedro Juan said in an interview.
Autopsy And Medical Findings
An autopsy by the El Paso County medical examiner ruled the death natural and attributed it to "complications of alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis," an advanced form of liver damage from long-term alcohol use. Local officials said Gaspar-Andrés had been treated previously for alcohol withdrawal in Miami before being transferred to Texas custody.
Advocates And Lawmakers Raise Concerns
Advocacy groups and lawmakers have questioned whether his medical needs were addressed promptly while in custody. Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso and Fort Bliss, has repeatedly written to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE leaders raising concerns about conditions at Camp East Montana. In letters dated 9 and 19 December, she described detainee reports of rotten food, inconsistent access to necessary medications, limited recreation time, and irregular laundry and cleaning services, and said she believed the facility appeared understaffed.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups warned that the facility has shown patterns of delayed or inadequate medical care. Savannah Kumar of the ACLU of Texas said Gaspar-Andrés’s timeline of decline aligns with detainee accounts that serious conditions were not treated appropriately. Eunice Hyunhye Cho of the ACLU National Prison Project said Camp East Montana’s medical care may be worse than conditions cited in the group's previous reports.
Official Responses And Oversight
DHS and ICE provided limited additional detail beyond their initial statements and the autopsy report. A DHS spokesperson reiterated that Gaspar-Andrés died of natural causes related to alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis and defended the agency’s medical practices. The spokesperson's response also criticized reporting on the camp and affirmed that detainees receive meals, medical treatment, access to showers and opportunities to communicate with counsel and family.
Advocates and some members of Congress argue that oversight of detention facilities has been restricted and that weakened watchdog capacity could impede accountability. A federal judge recently ruled members of Congress cannot be barred from unannounced visits to ICE facilities, a decision welcomed by congressional critics seeking greater transparency.
Next Steps
The Guatemalan foreign ministry said it was notified by ICE of Gaspar-Andrés’s deteriorating condition in early December and requested an investigation into the cause of death. The family has been advised about repatriation procedures. Local and national advocacy groups continue to press officials for a fuller timeline of medical care and for more robust oversight of conditions at Camp East Montana.
Key names and dates: Francisco Gaspar-Andrés (died 3 December); Lucía Pedro Juan (deported 28 November); immigration judge removal order (14 November); hospitalization (16 November).
