Martin Vargas Arellano, a 55-year-old man detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California, died in March 2021 after contracting COVID-19 while in custody. Court documents show he repeatedly asked to be released as the virus spread, citing serious health conditions including diabetes, liver disease, and high blood pressure that put him at high risk. He developed pneumonia, was hospitalized, underwent brain surgery after a fall, and suffered a stroke, dying days after ICE released him while he was brain-dead and comatose. A federal judge has ruled that GEO Group, which ran the facility, will face a jury trial after finding the company allowed staff with COVID-19 symptoms into the facility at least 47 times despite pandemic protocols requiring symptomatic workers be turned away.