US News
ICE detainee dies hours after admission to Saipan facility
A 51-year-old man died in custody in the Northern Mariana Islands as federal records show 57 detainee deaths during the current administration.
The short version
- Lianyong Wei, a 51-year-old Chinese citizen, was pronounced dead hours after being booked into an immigration detention facility in Saipan.
- The death marks the 57th fatality among immigration detainees during the current administration, with 24 occurring since the start of the year.
- Federal authorities have not confirmed whether Wei received a required medical screening upon intake, and his cause of death remains under investigation.
Key facts
- Lianyong Wei was transferred to ICE custody on August 22 and was pronounced dead around 7:30 a.m. on August 23 after being found unresponsive in a Saipan correctional facility.[NPR]
- Wei's death is the 57th recorded detainee fatality since the start of President Trump's second term, and the 24th since January 1.[NPR]
- Department of Homeland Security regulations require a basic medical screening within 12 hours of intake, but DHS did not confirm whether Wei received one.[NPR]
- In June, the Trump administration removed a requirement for ICE to track and report deaths that occur within 30 days of an individual's release from custody.[NPR]