A 56-year-old Mexican man detained at a federal immigration facility in Laredo was discovered deceased in his cell on Saturday morning, as confirmed by his daughter and U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar. The man, identified as Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, was found unresponsive during a security check at the Rio Grande Processing Center around 10 a.m. Staff members attempted to perform CPR and summoned emergency services.
Andrade-Covarrubias marks the seventh individual to die while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas this year. He is the second person to die in an ICE facility located in Laredo, following the death of 63-year-old Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, who passed away on June 19 after being found unresponsive at the Webb County Detention Center.
Officials from GEO Group and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have not responded to inquiries regarding the incident as of Sunday.
Estefani Andrade, the daughter of Andrade-Covarrubias, stated that her family has yet to be contacted by federal authorities and learned about her father’s death through the Webb County Medical Examiner, which is conducting the autopsy.
Andrade-Covarrubias had resided in Dallas for several decades, raising three adult children who were all born in the United States. He worked as a contractor specializing in painting apartments and townhomes. His daughter noted that he had intentions of returning to Mexico, where he was in the process of building a house.
Estefani Andrade mentioned that her father was detained in June upon returning to the U.S. from Mexico by bus. She expressed concerns over his health during his detention, noting that he appeared to have lost weight compared to their previous video calls.
Cuellar indicated plans to visit the facility on Sunday afternoon to inquire about the circumstances surrounding Andrade-Covarrubias’ death and the conditions within the detention center. “I’ll ask the basic questions: What happened? What were the conditions? Was there medical care? Is there anyone ill? I’m going to speak with the medical staff there,” he stated.
Estefani Andrade revealed that her father had pre-existing health conditions, including heart issues, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Although he brought medication with him when detained, she claimed that the facility staff did not provide him with his prescribed treatments.
She added that during his time in detention, her father faced health issues, including a concerning cough—particularly alarming given his hospitalization for COVID-19 in 2021, which had lasting effects on his health. He had informed her that he sought assistance from medical staff but felt ignored when he reported difficulty in breathing and chest tightness.
Estefani Andrade expressed her determination to support her mother, who is struggling to cope with the news of her husband’s death. “When she received the news, she wasn’t all there. It’s hitting her really hard,” she shared.
