Nicaraguan father Victor Manuel Diaz dies by suicide in ICE detention after inadequate monitoring
Jan 31, 2026 · El Paso, TX, 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
- independent.co.uk (archived)
- independent.co.uk (archived)
- bastillepost.com (archived)
- CBS News (archived)
- audacy.com (archived)
- elpasomatters.org (archived)
- federalcharacter.com (archived)
- theamericanstarnews.com (archived)
- govexec.com (archived)
- usnewsrank.com (archived)
- KTSM
- ABC News (archived)
- Washington Post (archived)
- PBS (archived)
- Texas Tribune (archived)
- scrippsnews.com (archived)
- Instagram (archived)
- en.wikipedia.org (archived)
- The Guardian (archived)
- NPR (archived)
- phr.org (archived)
- twp.ai (archived)
- assets.aclu.org (archived)
- guardian.co.uk (archived)
- Instagram (archived)
- nbclosangeles.com (archived)
- www2.startribune.com (archived)
- abcnews.com (archived)
- apsradionews.com (archived)
- WCBI (archived)
- hrw.org (archived)
More incidents in Texas
- Venezuelan man deported to Liberia despite pending habeas caseAug 21, 2026 · TX
- 5-year-old boy detained with father en route to soccer game, held at Dilley facilityAug 20, 2026 · Austin, TX
- Man arrested by ICE agents at Texas home as owner demands warrantAug 20, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- Man forced to ground by ICE agents in Brownsville shopping plazaAug 19, 2026 · Brownsville, TX
- Construction workers detained by ICE at Texas job siteAug 19, 2026 · Weslaco, TX
- Mother and two children ordered deported after months in Texas detention campAug 18, 2026 · Dilley, TX