The death of a Cuban migrant held at a federal detention facility in Texas may soon be classified as a homicide. This follows preliminary findings from the local medical examiner's office.
Preliminary Findings Point to Asphyxia
Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban national, died on January 3 while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. He was being held at Camp East Montana, a tent facility located at the Fort Bliss military base in El Paso.
Initial reports from ICE stated Campos experienced medical distress before his death. The agency claimed his cause of death remained under investigation at that time.
However, new information suggests a different story. The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office reportedly informed family members that Campos died from asphyxia due to neck and chest compression. Officials indicated they were preparing to classify the death as a homicide, pending toxicology results.
Contradictory Accounts Emerge
ICE officials provided one version of events in their official statement. They claimed Campos became disruptive while waiting for medication and was placed in segregation. Staff reportedly observed him in distress and called for medical assistance. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at 10:16 PM.
Witnesses detained at the same facility tell a dramatically different story. Santos Jesus Flores, another detainee, told the Washington Post he saw five guards choking Campos during a struggle. The altercation began when Campos resisted being taken to segregation because he hadn't received his medications.
"He said, 'I cannot breathe, I cannot breathe,'" Flores recounted. "After that, we don't hear his voice anymore and that's it."
A Troubled Facility Faces Scrutiny
Camp East Montana has faced repeated criticism from human rights organizations. Multiple reports have documented alleged abuse and inhumane conditions at the facility.
Campos represents at least the second person to die at this camp in recent months. Francisco Gaspar-Andres, a 48-year-old Guatemalan man also held at Fort Bliss, died in hospital last year after developing health complications.
Part of a Disturbing Trend
The death occurs within a troubling pattern for ICE detention facilities. Campos was one of four ICE detainees who died during the first ten days of this year alone.
According to a Guardian investigation, 2025 marked the agency's deadliest year in over two decades. Last December proved particularly deadly, with six fatalities recorded in that single month.
Campos had been arrested by ICE in July of last year. The Department of Homeland Security had previously highlighted his arrest as one of their "worst of the worst" cases. This category is used by DHS to showcase what they consider victories in deportation efforts.
The Cuban migrant had prior convictions including child sexual abuse, firearm possession, and aggravated assault. These factors contributed to DHS labeling him a high-priority case.
Official Classification Remains Pending
Neither ICE officials nor the El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office would confirm whether Campos's death would be officially classified as a homicide. A representative from the medical examiner's office told the El Paso Times that the autopsy report remained pending and unavailable to the public.
The Washington Post first reported on the recording where medical examiner staff discussed the potential homicide classification with family members. This recording contradicts ICE's initial characterization of the death as resulting from medical distress.
As investigations continue, questions mount about conditions at detention facilities and the treatment of migrants in federal custody. The conflicting accounts between official statements and witness testimony highlight the need for transparent investigations into detainee deaths.
