The death of a Cuban immigrant at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Texas earlier this month has been preliminarily classified as a homicide by the local medical examiner, starkly contradicting the federal government's account of the incident.
Conflicting Narratives Emerge
Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, died on January 3, 2026, at Camp Montana East, a tent facility on the grounds of Fort Bliss in El Paso. The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office informed his family that the preliminary autopsy found the cause of death was homicide resulting from asphyxia due to compression of the chest and neck.
This finding directly conflicts with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) official statement. Initially, ICE's public notification made no mention of an altercation. After questions from The Associated Press, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin amended the account, stating Lunas Campos "violently resisted" staff and was "attempting to take his life" during a struggle where he stopped breathing.
An Eyewitness Account from Detention
Detainee Santos Jesús Flores, 47, who witnessed the event from his cell in the special housing unit, provided a different version to the AP. Flores said Lunas Campos was handcuffed when at least five guards tackled him to the floor. "The last thing he said was that he couldn't breathe," Flores recounted, describing how a guard placed Lunas Campos in a chokehold until he lost consciousness.
Flores stated the guards removed the handcuffs only after Lunas Campos stopped breathing. He also claimed investigators had not interviewed him and that security cameras in the unit should have captured the altercation. "In this place, guards abuse people a lot," Flores said, acknowledging the risk of speaking out.
Scrutiny on a New, Privately-Run Facility
The incident intensifies scrutiny on Camp Montana East, a $1.2 billion facility expected to become the largest detention centre in the United States. The AP previously reported that the sprawling tent complex is operated by a private contractor, Acquisition Logistics LLC, which had no prior experience running a corrections facility. It remains unclear whether the guards involved were government employees or contractors.
Lunas Campos was among the first detainees sent to the facility after his arrest in Rochester, New York, in July 2025. He was legally admitted to the U.S. in 1996. ICE stated he was targeted due to criminal convictions making him eligible for removal. New York records show he was a registered sex offender due to a 2003 conviction and had a 2009 drug conviction.
His family disputes the child abuse accusation, calling it false and part of a custody battle. His daughter, Kary Lunas, said, "He was a good dad. He was a human being."
Seeking Justice and a Body Home
Jeanette Pagan-Lopez, the mother of Lunas Campos's two youngest children, is struggling to get answers and have his body returned to Rochester. She said ICE offered free return only if she consented to cremation, which she declined. She is now fundraising for funeral costs.
Pagan-Lopez described Lunas Campos as an attentive father who worked a minimum-wage job. In their last call, he spoke to his children about his expected deportation to Cuba, hoping they could visit. "I just want justice, and his body here. That's all I want," she said.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Weedn explained that a homicide ruling indicates the guards' actions caused the death, but not necessarily an intent to kill. He noted such rulings often face pressure but are critical for potential criminal or civil liability.
The death echoes long-standing concerns over prone restraint deaths in law enforcement, documented in a 2024 AP investigation. The case's location on a federal Army base may also complicate jurisdictional authority for local investigators. The El Paso County District Attorney's office declined to comment on any involvement.
DHS and ICE stated the investigation remains active, with more details forthcoming.
