Nicaraguan father Victor Manuel Diaz dies by suicide in ICE detention after inadequate monitoring
Jun 9, 2026·Location: El Paso, TX
Country of origin: Nicaragua
Victor Manuel Diaz, a 36-year-old Nicaraguan man and father of two, was arrested by ICE in Minneapolis on January 6, 2026, during Operation Metro Surge and transferred to Camp East Montana detention facility in El Paso, Texas. He died by suicide on January 14, 2026, by hanging with a bed sheet, eight days after his arrest. Diaz had entered the U.S. illegally in 2024, was released on parole, and was working at a Twin Cities restaurant when detained. Staff placed him in a medical holding room instead of a suicide-resistant cell and left him unattended for intervals exceeding the required 15-minute checks. Vision panels that had been requested months earlier were not installed, preventing staff from observing the room. A GAO report released in June 2026 found the facility lacked adequate supervision and monitoring systems, with over 1,600 detainees housed in steel-framed tent-like structures, insufficient surveillance cameras, and inadequate medical care. Diaz was at least the third death at Camp East Montana. His family attorney is considering a wrongful death claim.
Timeline
Sources
- Man arrested by ICE in Minneapolis dies while under federal agency
- Suicides in ICE detention rise as 911 logs reveal harrowing details of self harm
independent.co.uk·May 22, 2026·archived copy
- Nicaraguan man
independent.co.uk·Jan 28, 2026·archived copy
- Nicaraguan man's death at troubled Texas detention camp was reported as a suicide, 911 records show
bastillepost.com·Jan 29, 2026·archived copy
- ICE detainees die by suicide at an 'alarming' rate, AP investigation finds
nbclosangeles.com·May 26, 2026·archived copy
- Death of MN man at Texas detention facility raises concerns
www2.startribune.com·Jan 24, 2026·archived copy
- Minnesota Leaders Call for Investigation Into Death of a Man at ICE Facility in Texas
apsradionews.com·Jan 20, 2026·archived copy
- Man arrested by ICE in Minneapolis dies while under federal agency's custody in Texas
WCBI·Jan 19, 2026·archived copy
- “You’re Only Getting Out Deported or Dead”
hrw.org·Jul 15, 2026·archived copy
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