Full Breakdown
Death of DACA Recipient Ismael Ayala-Uribe in Adelanto ICE Detention Center
By Drooid · · How we work
Fatal Incident and Medical Response
Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a 39-year-old former DACA recipient, was detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in Southern California. Two weeks after his arrival, he reported a high fever and a painful sore on his backside. On September 18, 2025 staff initiated a Code Blue alert for a life-threatening emergency. ICE records show he received pain medication, an ointment and a fibre supplement, but Physicians for Human Rights’ reviewer Cuneo said a physical exam and antibiotics were warranted, calling the omission “a major failure.”
Later that weekend his condition deteriorated; he was vomiting, shaking and sweating before being transferred to an intensive-care unit, where he suffered cardiac arrest minutes after arrival. A coroner’s investigation indicates the arrest occurred early on September 21, nearly a full day before his death was announced on the morning of September 22. Medical staff briefly restored his heartbeat after intubation, contradicting ICE’s report that his pulse stopped only once.
Background and DACA Status
Ismael arrived in the United States at age five and later qualified for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provided temporary protection from deportation. He lost DACA status in 2015 after a DUI conviction, making him vulnerable to removal and detention.
Official Statements & Responses
ICE maintains that detainees receive “comprehensive medical care” throughout custody.
Criticism & Opposition
Physicians for Human Rights’ Cuneo asserted that timely care could have prevented the death, labeling the lack of antibiotics a preventable error. Family member Lucia expressed the same sentiment, saying, “If they had given him the medical care and what he needed, maybe he would be here with us.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “I believe Ismael’s death could have fully been prevented by timely care,” — Human Rights' Cuneo
- “If they had given him the medical care and what he needed, maybe he would be here with us,” — Lucia