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Durham man, 29, dies of leukemia after ICE delays care, releases him in coma

Jul 24, 2026·Location: Durham, NC

Country of origin: Mexico

Durham man, 29, dies of leukemia after ICE delays care, releases him in coma
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Prisciliano Trejo Ricano, a 29-year-old Mexican national who had lived in Durham, North Carolina since age 3, died July 24 from an aggressive form of leukemia while effectively in ICE custody. He was arrested June 19 and transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where he began feeling ill on July 6, reporting coughing up blood, severe pain, and a bruise that would not heal. Advocates say ICE failed to provide treatment for over a week despite his requests for care; he was hospitalized July 13 and fell into a coma by July 15, at which point ICE formally released him before he died. His father and cousin described him as previously healthy, with his father saying he could not understand how his condition deteriorated so quickly. His name does not appear on ICE's official list of in-custody deaths, and the agency will not investigate due to a policy change eliminating reporting requirements for deaths within 30 days of release. Advocacy groups including Detention Watch Network, Project South, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, El Refugio, and Carolina Migrant Network called for investigations into medical neglect at Stewart Detention Center, while the ACLU reports at least 57 deaths in immigration detention since the start of the second Trump administration, more than double the prior four years combined.

Timeline

Jul 24, 2026—Died from an aggressive form of leukemia
Jul 15, 2026—Fell into a coma; ICE formally released him from custody
Jul 13, 2026—Hospitalized after weeks of untreated symptoms
Jul 10, 2026—Turned 29 years old while in detention
Jul 6, 2026—Began experiencing symptoms including coughing up blood and severe pain, with delayed medical treatment
Jun 19, 2026—Arrested by ICE and transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Georgia
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