Mexican Teen Migrant Dies in Florida Jail Holding ICE Detainees

Royer Perez-Jimenez is the second person to die in ICE custody this week.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 6:42am

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A 19-year-old Mexican migrant named Royer Perez-Jimenez died at a county jail in Florida that has been holding immigrant detainees, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE stated that Perez-Jimenez "died of presumed suicide," although the official cause of death remains under investigation. Perez-Jimenez's death is the 46th reported under ICE custody since the start of President Donald Trump's administration in January 2025.

Why it matters

The death of Perez-Jimenez has sparked condemnation within the immigrant community, with advocates criticizing the immigration detention system for depriving people of freedom, isolating them from loved ones, and subjecting them to abysmal conditions. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of immigrants in detention facilities, especially under the Trump administration's policies.

The details

According to ICE, Perez-Jimenez was found "unconscious and unresponsive" at 2:34 a.m. on Monday at the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven, Florida. Officers immediately called for medical assistance, but Perez-Jimenez was pronounced dead at 2:51 a.m. Perez-Jimenez was arrested on January 22 by sheriff's officers in Volusia County, Florida and charged with a felony for impersonation and resisting an officer. He was later transferred to ICE custody a month later.

  • Perez-Jimenez was arrested on January 22, 2026.
  • Perez-Jimenez was transferred to ICE custody a month later, in February 2026.
  • Perez-Jimenez died on March 20, 2026 at 2:51 a.m.

The players

Royer Perez-Jimenez

A 19-year-old Mexican migrant who died at a county jail in Florida that has been holding immigrant detainees.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that stated Perez-Jimenez "died of presumed suicide," although the official cause of death remains under investigation.

Glades County Detention Center

The facility in Moore Haven, Florida where Perez-Jimenez was being held and where he died.

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What they’re saying

“Immigration detention system deprives people of freedom, isolates people away from loved ones, and subjects people to abysmal conditions.”

— Carly Pérez Fernández, Communications director at Detention Watch Network

What’s next

The Office of The District 21 Medical Examiner did not respond to an AP request for the autopsy report, and the Florida prosecutor's office referred any requests for information to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney General's Office. The Mexican government has called for a prompt and thorough U.S. investigation into Perez-Jimenez's death to prevent a recurrence.

The takeaway

Perez-Jimenez's death highlights the ongoing concerns about the treatment of immigrants in detention facilities, especially under the Trump administration's policies that have led to prolonged detention and reports of poor conditions in some facilities. This incident underscores the need for greater oversight and accountability in the immigration detention system.