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The Cuban Isidro Pérez, 75 years old, died in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida, with the circumstances surrounding his death still not fully clarified.
But what has further fueled the anger among the Cuban community both on the island and abroad is not just the loss of a life, but the way it was addressed by Tom Homan, the border czar of the Trump administration.
"People die in ICE custody,” Homan said with apparent indifference to a journalist's question about the case. "People die in county jails and state prisons.”
Far from showing empathy or taking responsibility, Homan shielded himself with the agency's protocols: "We have the highest detention standards in the industry." He even suggested that ICE facilities should be favorably compared to state or federal prisons, urging journalists to visit the official website to verify this.
"The question should be how many lives ICE saves, because when they detain people, we find many with illnesses and issues that we address immediately to prevent them. I am unaware of that specific case, but I will tell you this: you can argue with me all you want, but facts are facts.", Homan added.
Reactions came swiftly. According to the media outlet Latin Times, hundreds of users on social media expressed their outrage at the official's statement, labeling it as "cold," "inhumane," and a clear indication of indifference to the lives of immigrants.
“What the hell does ‘people die in ICE custody’ mean?” “That’s not a justification; it’s a clear confession of failure,” wrote a visibly outraged user. “A 75-year-old man, who has lived here for six decades, dies under your watch, and your response is to ignore it?”
Another was more direct: "Your death is your responsibility, Mr. Homan. Trying to act tough, you're not the first one."
The passing of Isidro Pérez occurred on Thursday at HCA Kendall Hospital, Florida, and was confirmed by ICE in a brief statement in which the agency asserts that it ensures “safe, secure, and humane environments” for individuals in its custody.
According to the same statement, all detainees receive a medical evaluation within the first 12 hours of admission, and emergency care is available 24 hours a day. However, this seemingly flawless protocol on paper did not prevent the death of an elderly man who had spent more than half a century in the United States.
The ex-partner of Isidro, María Adánez, told Telemundo 51 that the Cuban was sleeping on the floor, in freezing conditions, and without timely medical attention. “They call this the freezer, the doctor hasn’t seen me because there are too many of us here,” he told her during a call.
Pérez was arrested on June 5 when he approached to pick up food at the coast of Key Largo, where he lived on a boat. He had arrived in the United States at just 16 years old, and although he had been in the country for almost six decades, he never regularized his immigration status. ICE considered him an “inadmissible migrant”.
During his detention, he was diagnosed with serious medical issues. He was admitted to Larkin Hospital on June 17 for unstable angina, but was discharged a week later. One day later, suffering from severe chest pain, he was transferred to Kendall Hospital, where he died on the night of June 26.
Her sister believes that the anxiety over a potential deportation to Cuba was crucial. “That's why I think he had the heart attack, because he no longer knows where we are from”, she said.
“I’m not saying they shouldn’t punish, but there also has to be humanity”, Adánez demanded. “All they’re causing is pain, pain, and more pain”.
Pérez had a complicated legal past—according to ICE, he was convicted in the 1980s for possession of controlled substances—but that does not erase his life story or his humanity, his loved ones assert. “If he did it, he hid it very well,” said his ex-partner, surprised by the revelation.
The story of Isidro Pérez is not an isolated case. Numerous reports and complaints highlight the precarious conditions in ICE detention centers, and the deaths of migrants in custody are not uncommon.
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