TBILISI, June 9 — A 43-year-old Georgian immigrant has died while in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a detention facility in Louisiana, Anadolu reported Tuesday.
The man was identified as Mamuka Artmeladze. According to ICE, he died on June 4 at the Winn Correctional Center.
ICE told lawmakers that Artmeladze was found unresponsive and taken to a nearby medical facility. The agency said he was pronounced dead at Winn Parish Medical Center at around 11:22 pm.
“Despite lifesaving efforts, at approximately 11:22 p.m., an onsite physician at Winn Parish Medical Center pronounced Artmeladze deceased,” ICE said.
The agency said the official cause of death is pending an autopsy.
According to Anadolu, Artmeladze had been detained in February in New Orleans during an operation targeting commercial vehicle drivers who were considered possible public safety threats.
ICE said it took him into custody after officials determined that he had no lawful status to remain in the United States.
Anadolu also cited ABC News as reporting that Artmeladze was the 50th person to die in ICE detention during US President Donald Trump’s second administration. According to that report, the first 14 months of Trump’s second term have been the deadliest period for the federal detention system in recent years, except for 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic sharply affected death rates among detainees.
