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The death of a Cuban immigrant in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a facility in Texas continues to spark outrage in the United States and among the Cuban community both inside and outside the island.
This time, the controversy was sparked by statements from Fox News host Jesse Watters, who described immigration detention centers as "incredible" and went so far as to say that detainees should feel "lucky."
The comments were made during a broadcast of the show The Five, amid a heated exchange with co-host Jessica Tarlov, according to The Daily Express.
Watters downplayed the case of the deceased Cuban, denying any responsibility on the part of ICE and asserting that the incident "had already been refuted." According to his account, the man had attempted to take his own life, and the staff at the center was only trying to save him.
While civil organizations and activists demand a transparent investigation into what happened in Texas, the host fervently defended the conditions of the detention centers. “You receive free medical care, dental care. These centers are amazing,” he asserted before millions of viewers, provoking a wave of criticism on social media.
Tarlov responded with irony, mentioning facilities that have been heavily criticized for their conditions, and even told the host, "Then go ahead. Go live there."
The case of the deceased Cuban arises in a context of growing tension over ICE's actions, which in recent weeks has also come under scrutiny for the detention of a five-year-old child in Minnesota during an immigration raid. Even figures from the Republican Party, such as Congressman Mike Lawler, have publicly condemned these types of operations, stating that "they should not happen."
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