Full Breakdown
Death of Lawful Permanent Resident Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias While in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Custody
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old Mexican national who held lawful permanent-resident status, was found unconscious in his bed at the Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo on a Saturday and was pronounced dead about 20 minutes after emergency responders arrived. ICE staff performed chest compressions and called emergency services. The agency said the cause of death remains unknown pending an autopsy by the Webb County Medical Examiner. Andrade-Covarrubias had been detained since June 26, when immigration officers at the Laredo port of entry held him on suspicion that he obtained his green card fraudulently because he failed to disclose a 2004 theft arrest. He was scheduled for an immigration-court hearing in early November.
Background and Legal Context
ICE’s detention of lawful permanent residents follows a June 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows Customs and Border Protection officers to detain green-card holders at ports of entry if they have any criminal history, without needing “clear and convincing evidence” of a crime involving moral turpitude. The 6-3 ruling, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, gave immigration judges final authority on removal, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning the opinion undermines the security benefits of permanent-resident status.
Official Statements & Responses
ICE asserted that Andrade-Covarrubias received “proper medical care” and was seen by medical professionals while in custody. The agency also noted that he had a history of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and that he carried his medications at the time of detention. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) inspected the facility after the death and said he had sent written questions to ICE seeking details. He emphasized that any death in federal custody warrants thorough investigation.
Data and Statistics
- ICE reported that Andrade-Covarrubias is the seventh person to die while detained in Texas this year.
- He is the second death at the Laredo facility in 2026; the first was Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, a 63-year-old Mexican who died on June 19 after being found unresponsive at the Webb County Detention Center.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any death in federal custody is a serious matter, and we need to know what happened,” — S. Rep. Henry Cuellar