Three Korean nationals have died while in detention at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, with two of the deaths ruled as suicides. The Korea Times has learned that a 40-year-old Korean man, surnamed Choi, was found dead in his cell at the ICE detention facility in Atlanta, Georgia on Jan. 6. An ICE spokesperson confirmed that Mr. Choi’s death is being investigated as a suicide. The spokesperson said Mr. Choi had been taken into custody by US Customs and Border Protection on Dec. 27, 2021, near the US-Mexico border in Texas. He was transferred to the Atlanta detention facility on Jan. 3, after processing at a facility in El Paso, Texas. Another Korean, a 55-year-old man surnamed Lee, was found dead at an ICE detention facility in Houston, Texas on Dec. 17, 2021. An autopsy report showed that Mr. Lee died from asphyxiation due to hanging, and his death was ruled a suicide. The third Korean, a 51-year-old man surnamed Lee, died on Aug. 10, 2021, at a hospital in San Antonio, Texas. He had been in ICE custody since July 31, 2021, and had been hospitalized since Aug. 7, 2021. The cause of his death was determined to be an infection. The three deaths bring to 16 the number of Korean nationals who have died in ICE custody since 2010. Of the 16, nine were due to medical conditions, three were suicides, two were accidents, and two are under investigation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has been informed of the deaths and is taking measures to ensure the human rights of Korean nationals abroad are protected. The ministry said it has asked US authorities to thoroughly investigate the cases and take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. In 2019, the US Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General released a report that found that the rate of deaths in ICE custody was higher than that of other federal prisons. The report also found that many deaths were due to a lack of proper medical care. The US has been criticized for its treatment of immigrants in detention centers. In May, the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security announced a lawsuit settlement that will limit the length of time that asylum seekers can be held in immigration detention. The settlement also requires US authorities to assess the risk of suicide for detainees with a history of mental health issues. The US government has faced criticism for its handling of immigration detention, particularly with regard to the separation of migrant families at the US-Mexico border. The issue has sparked widespread protests and calls for reform.
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