Mexican man dies in immigration detention in Arizona

A 32-year-old Mexican man died of unknown causes on Sunday after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a private prison in Arizona, authorities confirmed.

Around  7 a.m., Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas was pronounced dead at the Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa, Ariz., said Fernando X. Burgos Ortiz, a spokesman for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Phoenix. “The preliminary cause of death is unknown and remains under investigation,” he said.

Batrez Vargas was arrested on July 15 by Phoenix police and charged with aggravated assault, unlawful flight from law enforcement and
possession of a controlled substance. A day after his arrest, ICE officials with Enforcement and
Removal Operations in Phoenix filed an immigration detainer with the
Maricopa County Jail.

Batrez Vargas was released, and within a few weeks, he was arrested by the Flagstaff Police Department on Aug. 2, and charged with felony drug paraphernalia possession and use.

On Aug. 10,  Batrez Vargas pleaded guilty to unlawful flight
from law enforcement and possession of a controlled substance, and he
was given 12 months probation and was handed to ICE custody, said Burgos Ortiz. ICE
officials took him to the Phoenix ICE office for “processing” and he was
later transferred to the Central Arizona Correctional
Complex in Florence.

The Central Arizona Correctional
Complex is run by CoreCivic — a private prison corporation working under contract with ICE.

12 people have died in ICE custody this year, including Serawit Gezahegn Dejene, a 45-year-old Ethiopia man who died at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix on Jan. 29.

Dejene was taken into custody near Lukeville, Ariz. in Aug. 2024, and sought asylum, but was hospitalized in December, just two days before Christmas.

A report from ICE showed Dejene lost nearly one-fifth of his weight while in detention, and on Dec. 20 he was taken to the hospital where doctors found he was suffering from lymphoma and had metastatic lesions in both lungs. He was returned to the Eloy Detention Center, and held until Dec. 24 when doctors found Dejene was suffering from “acute respiratory distress, pneumonia, possible lymphoma, and a pericardial effusion.” On Jan. 3, he was also diagnosed with tuberculosis, and by Jan. 29, he was dead.

A GoFundMe was set up to cover funeral expenses to bring Batrez Vargas—known as “Lenchito”—back to Flagstaff where “his family can lay him to rest with the love and dignity he deserves.”

“His passing is a tragedy compounded by the circumstances under which he died; alone, likely from complications of COVID-19, and without the medical attention he deserved,” wrote Amber Vargas, the GoFundMe organizer. “No one should have to suffer in silence, and no family should have to wonder whether their loved one’s life could have been spared with more compassion, more care, or more justice.”

Batrez Vargas had multiple run-ins with law enforcement over the years, according to ICE.

In March 2018, he was arrested by the Flagstaff Police Department, and charged with a DUI, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and reckless driving. The first three charges were dismissed, but he pleaded guilty of reckless driving.

In March 2024, he was again arrested by the Flagstaff Police Department, and was charged with DUI with a BAC of .08 or more, as well as having an open container of liquor in his car, and disorderly conduct. He pleaded guilty to the DUI and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

On Aug. 2, 2025, Flagstaff police arrested Batrez Vargas and charged him with felony drug paraphernalia possession or use.

“Consistent with ICE policy,” officials with ERO notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via the Integrity Coordination Center. Officials also notified the Mexican embassy of Batrez Vargas’ death.

ERO officials said ICE makes “official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders and the media upon an official report of a detained illegal alien’s death and posts a news release with relevant details on the ICE public website within two business days per agency policy.”

Under congressional requirements, ICE must also make public all reports regarding an in-custody death within 90 days.

“ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments,” said ICE officials “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.” 

“All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” said ICE officials. “At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”