Mexican day laborer found dead in Georgia ICE detention, family disputes suicide
Jan 15, 2026·Location: Lovejoy, GA
Country of origin: Mexico

Heber Sánchez, a 34-year-old day laborer from Las Choapas, Veracruz, Mexico, died in ICE custody at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility in Clayton County, Georgia. He had been arrested in Atlanta on January 7, 2026 for driving without a license and transferred to the facility, where a guard found him a week later tied to his bunk with a rope around his neck; resuscitation attempts failed and he was pronounced dead. His family disputes that he took his own life and is demanding an investigation into why he did not receive adequate medical care. The Mexican Consulate has requested clarification on the circumstances and is coordinating to return his body to Mexico. He is survived by a wife and two children.
Timeline
Sources
- DHS confirms Mexican citizen
- Man dies in ICE custody at Georgia detention facility
WRDW·Jan 16, 2026·archived copy
- Indian migrant dies in Georgia ICE detention
- Archived: Mexican man in ICE custody passes away at Georgia hospital
ice.gov·Jan 31, 2021·archived copy
- Archived: Costa Rican man in ICE custody passes away in Georgia
ice.gov·Aug 12, 2020·archived copy
- Muere migrante mexicano bajo custodia de ICE
kplctv.com·Jan 16, 2026·archived copy
- Identifican a Heber Sánchez Domínguez, mexicano que murió bajo custodia de ICE, fue detenido por pasarse un alto
heraldodemexico.com.mx·Jan 16, 2026·archived copy
- ICE ‘pressuring’ Lorenzo Salgado shooting witnesses to self-deport in familiar tactic
independent.co.uk·Jul 10, 2026
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