Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian national, was declared dead at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida, on April 25 at 8:35 p.m. She was under the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the cause of her death is currently being investigated.
Blaise entered the United States without admission or parole. On February 12, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered her at the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as she was attempting to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. On the same date, CBP issued Blaise a Notice of Expedited Removal for being inadmissible as an immigrant without a valid visa. She was then transferred to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Miami at the San Juan staging facility, Puerto Rico, on February 14. She was later moved to ERO New Orleans at the Richwood Correctional Center in Oakdale, Louisiana, on February 21, and finally to the Broward Transitional Center on April 5.
Consistent with ICE policy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility were notified of Blaise’s death. The Haitian Consulate in Miami also received an email notification of the incident.
ICE stated that official notifications regarding the death of a detained individual are made to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders, and the media, with timely releases posted on the ICE website within two business days.
ICE affirms its commitment to providing detainees with safe and humane conditions, ensuring access to comprehensive medical care from arrival through their stay. All detainees reportedly receive health screenings and 24-hour emergency care.
ICE fulfills congressional requirements from the DHS Appropriations Bill of 2018 to make public reports about in-custody deaths within 90 days. These reports can be accessed on the Detainee Death Reporting page on the ICE website.
