Overview
- Geraldo Lunas Campos, 55, died Jan. 3 at Camp East Montana, and a recording shared with reporters indicates the preliminary cause is asphyxia due to neck and chest compression with a likely homicide classification pending toxicology.
- DHS issued a new account asserting Campos attempted to take his own life and violently resisted staff during an intervention, while ICE’s earlier statement said he was observed in distress in segregation.
- A detainee who says he witnessed the incident told reporters he saw multiple guards choking Campos as he repeatedly said, “No puedo respirar,” or “I can’t breathe.”
- Investigations are active, with the medical examiner’s findings pending and an internal ICE review underway, and a family member says the FBI has contacted them about the case.
- The death occurred at a tent-style detention site at Fort Bliss that has drawn prior citations and criticism, and it comes during a period of elevated fatalities in ICE custody, including four reported in the first 10 days of 2026.