An immigrant detainee, Luis Sandoval, 48, from El Salvador, died at the D Ray James facility in Folkston, Georgia, amidst an ongoing hunger strike protesting prolonged captivity and poor conditions. Reports indicate hunger strikers were threatened with force-feeding. Sandoval was found with a ligature around his neck, and his death is under investigation, though his participation in the strike is unknown. This marks the 60th death in ICE custody since the second Trump administration began.
An immigrant detained at the D Ray James facility in Folkston, Georgia, died on Friday, local and federal officials confirmed. The death occurred amidst national scrutiny over the facility's response to an ongoing hunger strike, where detainees are protesting prolonged captivity and poor conditions. Detainees, their attorneys, and advocates reported that federal immigration officials and private contractors were allegedly threatening hunger strikers with force-feeding. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the death of Luis Sandoval, 48, from El Salvador, stating he was found with a ligature around his neck at approximately 1:46 AM on Friday and pronounced dead less than an hour later. Sandoval was arrested earlier this month and transferred to the Folkston facility on October 8. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is conducting an 'in-custody death investigation.' Project South, a social justice organization, called it a 'preventable tragedy,' holding ICE and the private prison company, GEO Group, fully responsible and calling for an immediate independent investigation and the facility's closure. It is unknown whether Sandoval had participated in the hunger strike. His death marks the 60th person to die in ICE custody since the start of the second Trump administration, with an average of one death every 10 days this year. Experts like Austin Kocher from Relevant Research highlighted a concerning 'dehumanization' and 'neglect' of migrants. Andrei Gerdiukov, a Russian asylum seeker currently participating in the hunger strike at the same facility, reported feeling 'tired, dizzy' and confirmed threats of force-feeding. Gerdiukov and dozens of others launched the strike nearly three weeks ago to demand quicker processing of their legal cases and protest confinement conditions, leading to their placement in solitary confinement. His wife, Polina Chertushkina, expressed deep worry about the force-feeding threats. At least 12 hunger strikers reportedly continue, despite threats, with several having fainted. On Friday, strikers were moved to a nearby unit where medical officials took vital signs, raising fears of imminent force-feeding. Force-feeding, which requires a judge's approval, involves restraining a hunger striker and inserting a tube to pump nutritional liquid. Medical ethicists and human rights organizations consider this practice torture. ICE typically argues in court filings that force-feeding is necessary to maintain 'good order' and keep detainees alive. The Guardian has tracked numerous force-feeding cases, with ICE seeking court permission to force-feed at least 19 detained hunger strikers between January 2025 and August 2026.
