Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old Mexican and father of three American children, died on Saturday in an ICE detention center in Laredo, Texas, after spending months in immigration custody. His family claims that the staff ignored his health issues and refused to provide him with the medications he needed.
Her daughter, Estefani Andrade, 29 years old, told The Texas Tribune that her father suffered from a heart condition, diabetes, and hypertension, and that he had his medications with him when he was detained in June while returning from Mexico by bus.
However, he claimed that the staff at the center did not provide him with those treatments and that his repeated requests for medical attention were ignored, even when he expressed difficulties breathing and chest tightness.
"They simply ignored him," the young woman recounted about what her father told her during his detention.
Andrade-Covarrubias also suffered from a persistent cough that concerned his family members, due to the aftereffects of a hospitalization for COVID-19 in 2021.
Estefani assured that her father's physical deterioration was evident during their video calls.
The man was found unconscious around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, during a routine security check at the Rio Grande Processing Center. Staff attempted to revive him and called emergency services, as confirmed by Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar.
The cause of death remains under investigation and is awaiting the results of the autopsy conducted by the Webb County Medical Examiner's Office.
Another aspect that has generated outrage among the family is the way they received the news. Estefani stated that the family learned of the death through the coroner's office, without receiving direct notification from U.S. federal agencies. The Mexican Foreign Ministry stated that the consulate in Laredo was notified by ICE and reached out to the family.
Andrade-Covarrubias had lived for decades in Dallas, where he worked painting apartments and homes. He had three children born in the United States and dreamed of definitively returning to Mexico, where he was building a house.
After the case became known, Cuellar visited the detention center on Sunday and requested information about its medical procedures. According to statements given to the Laredo Morning Times, the facility's officials did not answer specific questions about the death due to the ongoing investigation.
The facility is operated by the private company The GEO Group for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The company referred the inquiries to the federal agency, while the Department of Homeland Security had not responded to the requests for comments.
Mexico demands an investigation into the death
The Government of Mexico demanded a "prompt, thorough, and transparent" investigation, and President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that she will file a complaint in the United States to clarify what happened.
With this case, the number of Mexicans who have died in custody or during immigration operations in the United States since January 20, 2025, rises to 18, according to the tally cited by Mexican authorities.
Andrade-Covarrubias is also the seventh person to die in ICE custody in Texas during 2026 and the second in immigration facilities in Laredo.
His passing occurs amidst growing concern over detention conditions. The fiscal year 2026 concluded with a record 37 deaths in ICE custody, while human rights organizations have warned about the increasing mortality rate in these facilities.
For Estefani, the priority now is to support her mother, who is deeply affected by the loss.
"When she received the news, she was disoriented. It's affecting her a lot," she confessed.
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