Man detained by immigration authorities dies at hospital

ATLANTA – Authorities say an Indian man detained after arriving at Atlanta’s airport without required immigration documents has died at a hospital.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says 58-year-old Atulkumar Babubhai Patel arrived May 10 on a flight from Ecuador. He was denied entry and detained by ICE.

An initial medical screening identified high blood pressure and diabetes. A nurse checking his blood sugar Saturday noticed Patel had shortness of breath and transferred him to a hospital.

Patel was pronounced dead at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday. ICE says the preliminary cause of death is complications from congestive heart failure.

Patel is the second person to die in ICE custody in Georgia this week. Jean Jimenez-Joseph, who was being held at Stewart Detention Center, died Monday. His preliminary cause of death was “self-inflicted strangulation.”