Another Chinese national dies in ICE custody

Another Chinese national died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in late October, contributing to what has become the agency’s deadliest year since the early 2000s.

About the death: Kai Yin Wong, 63, died at Methodist Metropolitan Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 25 due to suspected complications following heart surgery. Wong, who had a 2010 conviction for lewd acts and continuous sexual abuse of a child that resulted in a 20-year prison sentence, had been in ICE custody since April 2024 awaiting deportation to China. Hospital staff informed ICE of his family’s request to withdraw lifesaving measures and implement hospice protocols on the day of his death.

Wong’s death follows that of Huabing Xie, another Chinese national, on Sept. 29. Xie died at El Centro Regional Medical Center after suffering what appeared to be a seizure at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, California.

Why this matters: The deaths raise concerns about ICE’s ability to provide adequate medical care as detention operations expand rapidly. Xie had no known criminal record and spent only 17 days in detention before his death, prompting advocates to question whether staff knew of any health issues he may have had. Adding to these concerns, the Imperial facility where he died is operated by Management and Training Corporation, a Utah-based private contractor that has previously faced complaints including claims of extended solitary confinement and cells with mold and contaminated water.

Staffing challenges further complicate the situation. “Can staffing actually keep pace with the increase in population? And that becomes particularly challenging in more remote locations where it was already difficult to find qualified staff,” Peter Mina, who worked at ICE for nearly a decade, told NPR.

The big picture: A Rebel Yellow analysis found 23 deaths under ICE custody since January, the highest toll since 32 deaths were recorded in 2004, with five of those being Asian nationals. Former agency officials have attributed this rise to increased detention populations, diminished oversight after hundreds of staff cuts to civil rights offices and a surge in street and community arrests of people with undocumented medical histories.

The rapid expansion has created systemic strain. This summer, ICE received billions in funding to hire additional staff, including deportation and detention officers and expand its detention space. However, immigration advocates and media outlets have documented overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and problems with food and health care access across the country.