911 Call Sheds New Light on Death of Cuban Migrant in Texas ICE Facility
A newly released 911 call has provided disturbing new details about the death of a Cuban immigrant at a Texas detention centre operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The recording reveals that Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, attempted to hang himself before being restrained by guards in handcuffs, ultimately stopping breathing during a subsequent struggle.
Disturbing Emergency Call Details Fatal Incident
According to the emergency call obtained by The Associated Press through a Texas public information request, a caller identifying himself as Lt. Paul Walden urgently requested medical assistance as staff attempted to revive Lunas Campos on January 3rd at Camp East Montana in El Paso. "He tried to hang himself, and then we put him in cuffs, and he kept going," Walden told the dispatcher during the recorded call, though he did not elaborate on the specific circumstances of the suicide attempt or subsequent events.
The City of El Paso redacted portions of the call to protect medical information, but the available recording provides crucial insight into an incident that has raised serious questions about detention facility practices and accountability.
Official Statements Contrast with 911 Call Details
ICE's initial statement regarding the death made no mention of Lunas Campos attempting suicide or being physically restrained. The agency simply stated that "staff observed him in distress and contacted on-site medical personnel for assistance" at the makeshift Texas detention facility. However, the 911 call lends support to an amended description offered by an agency spokesperson days later, which acknowledged that guards intervened when Lunas Campos tried to kill himself.
The spokesperson subsequently stated that Lunas Campos "violently resisted the security staff and continued to attempt to take his life," ultimately stopping breathing during the struggle. This revised account aligns more closely with the emergency call recording and witness testimony obtained by journalists investigating the incident.
Medical Examiner Rules Death a Homicide
The El Paso County Medical Examiner's Office has officially ruled the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos a homicide, determining that the cause was asphyxia due to compression to his neck and torso. The autopsy report indicated that witnesses saw Lunas Campos become unresponsive while being restrained by guards, with injuries consistent with guards holding him down and applying pressure to his neck and back until his body was deprived of sufficient oxygen to survive.
Unlike many homicide cases, it remains unclear whether any law enforcement agency outside of ICE is actively investigating the death, raising concerns about oversight and accountability within the immigration detention system.
Witness Testimony and Facility Response
A witness previously told The Associated Press that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down, with one guard placing an arm around his neck and squeezing until he lost consciousness. This account appears consistent with the medical examiner's findings regarding the cause of death.
Camp East Montana, built last year to house thousands of immigrants in the desert at Fort Bliss near the U.S.-Mexico border, has faced scrutiny over its operations. The 911 caller, Paul Walden, has worked as a detention officer with federal contractor Akima Global Services since shortly after the camp's opening, according to his Texas private security guard license.
Conflicting Accounts and Failed Investigation Requests
Approximately one hour after Walden's emergency call, a man identifying himself as Camp East Montana deputy director Daniel Rios contacted the county sheriff's office to request a death investigation. During this call, Rios stated, "I believe he just hung himself," but added that he lacked specific details and didn't "want to lie" about the circumstances.
Records indicate that the El Paso Police Department ultimately did not become involved in investigating the death, despite Rios's follow-up call requesting when detectives would arrive at the facility. This lack of external law enforcement involvement has raised questions about transparency and accountability procedures within immigration detention facilities.
Background of the Deceased and Facility Operations
Geraldo Lunas Campos had lived in the United States since 1996 before ICE took him into custody last July following an operation in Rochester, New York. An immigration judge had ordered his removal in 2005 after a conviction for sexual contact with a minor, though his deportation never occurred. He later served prison time on a drug charge and had been released from state supervision in New York in 2017.
According to the 911 call, Lunas Campos had a history of bipolar disorder and anxiety, and had vomited and urinated on himself during the incident. Camp East Montana staff were reportedly using a portable defibrillator in an attempt to restore his heartbeat when emergency services were contacted.
El Paso Fire Department paramedics later found Lunas Campos "pulseless and apneic on the floor of his cell" as staff members performed CPR, according to an incident report obtained by The Associated Press. Despite providing "advanced life support," medical personnel were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
