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ICE Keeps Detainee With Sickle Cell Disease in Custody After He Waived Appeals

He relinquished his appeal rights in mid-July to seek treatment in Trinidad

Don Lewis, 43, has been a legal permanent resident since 1993, the outlet reported. He was born with a medical condition that affects blood flow, can cause significant pain, and may lead to organ damage or stroke.
Deon Lewis with daughter, Trinae Lewis.
Deon Lewis center, with stepson Damien (left), son Jahion Lewis (right), and his wife, Roxanne Lewis.
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Overview

  • Despite signing a stipulated removal order, Lewis remains detained in Houston as ICE awaits completion of pre-removal checks and travel documents from Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Lewis has been a U.S. legal permanent resident since 1993 and says ICE has denied him sickle cell medication, causing him to faint from severe pain.
  • His attorneys and wife offered to cover his travel costs and provided prescriptions but say ICE has yet to act on their requests.
  • An ICE Houston spokesperson labels Lewis a public safety threat based on his 2002 and 2020 arrests and maintains that detainees receive standard medical screenings and care.
  • Legal advocates warn that the delay in deportation prolongs Lewis’s medical neglect and highlights broader concerns about health care in immigration detention.