Full Breakdown
Migrant Death at Laredo ICE Facility Prompts Calls for Scrutiny
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident at the Rio Grande Processing Center
A 56-year-old Mexican man, Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, was found unresponsive during a routine security check at the Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo on a Saturday morning. Staff performed CPR and summoned emergency services, but he was pronounced dead. The GEO Group, which operates the facility, referred inquiries to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Webb County Medical Examiner is conducting the autopsy.
Recent Detention-Related Fatalities in Texas
Andrade-Covarrubias is the seventh person to die while detained by ICE in Texas this year, and the second death at the Laredo facility. Earlier, a 63-year-old Mexican detainee, Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, died after being found unresponsive on June 19 at the Webb County Detention Center. The first death in Texas this year was ruled a homicide by the El Paso Medical Examiner’s office.
Family Allegations and Calls for Investigation
Estefani Andrade, the daughter of the deceased and a U.S. citizen, said her father entered detention in June after returning from Mexico by bus. She reported that he suffered from a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a lingering cough after a 2021 COVID-19 hospitalization. According to Andrade, staff denied him his prescribed medications and ignored his pleas for medical attention, including reports of breathing difficulty and chest tightness. She added that the family learned of his death through the medical examiner rather than federal officials and plans to retrieve his belongings.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) confirmed the death to the Texas Tribune and said he intends to visit the facility. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment.
Verbatim Quotes
“What were the conditions? [Was] there medical? Is there anybody ill? I’m gonna talk to the medical folks there.” — Estefani Andrade — Estefani Andrade
