Man with flu symptoms dies in immigration custody

FLORENCE, Ariz. – U.S. immigration officials say a Mexican man who had been showing signs of the flu died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week.

ICE says 54-year-old Abel Reyes-Clemente died two days after he was treated for flu symptoms. He was being held at the Florence Service Processing Center about 65 miles (105 kilometres) southeast of Phoenix and had been in custody since he was released from a Phoenix-area jail on Feb. 26.

Reyes-Clemente is the fourth person in ICE custody to die since October.

ICE said Reyes-Clemente was placed in medical observation on Monday after showing symptoms of influenza. Staff found him unresponsive and not breathing early Wednesday morning. Medical staff tried to revive him but couldn’t.

He was declared dead at a medical centre.