ICE Detainee Dies at Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana

Lorth Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian national, was found dead in his cell at the facility north of Kokomo.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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An ICE detainee named Lorth Sim has died while in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility north of Kokomo, Indiana. Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian national, was found dead in his cell shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday morning. The cause of death is under investigation, and Sim's death marks the seventh ICE detainee death this year and the first at the Miami Correctional Facility, which started holding detainees last October as part of an agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State of Indiana.

Why it matters

The death of an ICE detainee in custody raises concerns about the treatment and conditions of immigration detention facilities, especially as the Biden administration continues to grapple with the ongoing immigration crisis and calls for reform of the U.S. immigration system.

The details

Lorth Sim came to the U.S. as a refugee and became a lawful permanent resident in the 1980s. In 2006, an immigration judge ordered his removal from the country and back to Cambodia following several convictions. Sim was put under arrest in Boston and detained last December. His death is under investigation by authorities.

  • Lorth Sim was found dead in his cell shortly after 7 a.m. on Monday, February 18, 2026.
  • The Miami Correctional Facility started holding ICE detainees in October 2025.

The players

Lorth Sim

A 59-year-old Cambodian national who came to the U.S. as a refugee and became a lawful permanent resident in the 1980s. He was ordered removed from the country in 2006 following several convictions and was detained by ICE in Boston in December 2025.

Miami Correctional Facility

A prison in Indiana that started holding ICE detainees in October 2025 as part of an agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the State of Indiana.

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What’s next

The cause of Lorth Sim's death is under investigation by authorities.

The takeaway

The death of an ICE detainee in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana highlights the ongoing concerns about the treatment and conditions of immigration detention facilities, and the need for continued oversight and reform of the U.S. immigration system.