Another immigrant dies in ICE custody; there are 19 deaths in 2026
The death occurred in a Louisiana detention center investigated for alleged negligence and lack of medical care
A 43-year-old Georgian immigrant died while in custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) in Louisiana, becoming the nineteenth person to die in an immigration detention center so far in 2026, according to US authorities.
The victim was identified as Mamuka Artmeladze, originally from Georgia. According to official information, he was found unconscious on the night of June 4 inside his cell at the Winn Correctional Center, a facility that in recent months has faced complaints for alleged negligence in caring for detainees.
Although medical personnel provided him with emergency assistance and he was later transferred to a nearby hospital, the immigrant was declared dead approximately two hours later. At this time, the cause of death remains under investigation and the results of the autopsy are awaited.
Detention center under investigation
Artmeladze's death represents the second recorded in less than two months inside the Winn Correctional Center, located in Louisiana. The facility has been the subject of questions from organizations defending the rights of migrants, who have denounced possible deficiencies in medical care and detention conditions.
According to ICE, Artmeladze was initially detained by the United States Border Patrol in September 2022. Although he was released on parole, he did not comply with instructions to report to immigration authorities within the established deadline.
Deaths in immigration custody increase
The immigrant was arrested again on February 5 during an operation aimed at drivers of commercial vehicles who, according to authorities, represented a risk to public safety.
With this case, there are now 19 immigrants who have died in ICE custody in 2026, a figure that maintains attention on the immigration detention system in the United States.
Records also show that 2025 closed with 32 deaths in ICE custody, the highest number reported in more than two decades. Civil organizations have requested greater supervision of detention centers and a review of medical protocols to avoid new tragedies.