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CBP Statement Regarding Death in Custody in South Texas: July 8, 2020

Release Date
Wed, 07/08/2020

EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection is saddened to report the death of a 39-year-old man from Mexico on Tuesday morning in a South Texas hospital. We would like to express our condolences to his family.

On July 4, 2020, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Rio Grande City station were notified by a concerned citizen that a man was laying on the side of a road near Roma, Texas. Agents located the man, who was unresponsive, and immediately contacted EMS. The man was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Laredo, Texas, for advanced care as a result of severe heat related illness. On July 7, 2020, the man went into cardiac arrest and doctors were unable to resuscitate him. 

The care of those in CBP custody is paramount. Consistent with policy, CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility has initiated a review. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General and the Government of Mexico have been notified.

Last Modified: Sep 28, 2022