Luis Y.C.: Honduran grandfather, 68, dies in ICE custody after chest pain went undiagnosed
Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, a 68-year-old Honduran grandfather living in the U.S. for decades, died January 6 in ICE custody after weeks of untreated chest pain and vomiting. His family learned only after he died.
Jan 6, 2026Indio, CACountry of origin: Honduras

Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, a 68-year-old Honduran national who had lived in the U.S. for decades, died on January 6, 2026, at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio while in ICE custody. He was arrested during an ICE enforcement operation in Newark, New Jersey, on November 16, 2025, and transferred to the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico. While detained, he complained of vomiting, stomach pain, chest pain, and shortness of breath for over a week, but medical staff only provided pain pills without diagnosing the underlying cause. He was transferred to El Centro Regional Medical Center on January 4 after developing chest pain, then airlifted to JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, where he was pronounced dead two days later. Medical personnel determined the cause was heart-related complications. His family was not notified until after his death and later questioned the quality and timeliness of his medical care.
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- ICE detainee dies at JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio
KESQ·Jan 12, 2026·archived copy
- Honduran grandfather who died in ICE custody told family he'...
News Review·Jan 22, 2026·archived copy
- Honduran Detainee Dies in ICE Custody at JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio
My News LA·Jan 12, 2026·archived copy
- KXO Radio
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- NBC Los Angeles
- ‘These spaces are often stressful:’ Questions raised after another death in Imperial County
KPBS·Jan 17, 2026·archived copy
- Coachella Valley Church to Host Memorial Mass for Honduran Man Who Died in ICE Custody
My News LA·Jan 16, 2026·archived copy
- Muere hondureño bajo custodia del ICE tras estar detenido en Calexico
El Imparcial·Jan 11, 2026·archived copy
- Honduran grandfather who died in ICE custody told family he’d felt ill for weeks
- Grandfather who died in ICE custody had felt ill for weeks, daughter says
Times of San Diego·Jan 24, 2026·archived copy
- Grandfather who died in ICE custody had felt ill for weeks, daughter says - Santa Barbara News
News Press·Jan 27, 2026·archived copy
- Honduran national in ICE custody passes away at Miami-area hospital
ICE·Jan 24, 2025·archived copy
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