Day laborer Heber Sánchez found dead in Georgia ICE detention after one week
Jan 14, 2026 · Atlanta, GA, Mexico

Heber Sánchez Domínguez, 34, a day laborer from Las Choapas, Veracruz, Mexico, who had been living in the United States for two years, was arrested on January 7, 2026, in Richmond County, Georgia, for driving without a license following a traffic accident. He was transferred to the Robert A. Deyton Detention Center in Madison County on January 11. On January 14 at 2 a.m., after six days in custody, guards found him unconscious and hanging by his neck in his cell. Medical personnel attempted resuscitation and transferred him to a hospital, where he was declared dead one hour later. His cellmate reported he had complained of feeling sick before his death. His family stated he was not allowed to contact them after his arrest and expressed distress at this lack of communication. His brother Feliciano stated, "We want justice because they should have given him medical attention." His 102-year-old mother, Catalina Sánchez Domínguez, expressed her pain at learning her son died in U.S. police custody. His family disputes official accounts and has called for a thorough investigation into why he did not receive medical care. Mexico's consulate in Atlanta and the Mexican Foreign Ministry requested a prompt and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.
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