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Cambodian refugee and permanent resident dies in ICE custody at Indiana facility

Feb 20, 2026 · Miami, IN, Cambodia

Lorth Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian national who entered the U.S. as a refugee in 1983 and became a lawful permanent resident in 1986, died in custody at Miami Correctional Facility in Miami County, Indiana on February 16, 2026. Sim was arrested by ICE in Boston on December 30, 2025, and transferred to the Indiana facility to await deportation following an immigration judge's removal order to Cambodia. He was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m. His death was the seventh in federal immigration custody in 2026. The cause of death remained under investigation, and organizers reported concerns about medical neglect among ICE detainees at the facility, prompting U.S. Congressman André Carson and other lawmakers to seek answers.

Timeline

Feb 20, 2026U.S. Congressman André Carson and other lawmakers seek answers regarding Sim's death; organizers report concerns about medical neglect at the facility
Feb 16, 2026Lorth Sim found unresponsive in his cell at Miami Correctional Facility and pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m.
Dec 30, 2025Lorth Sim arrested by ICE in Boston

Sources

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