Haitian Woman Dies At An ICE Detention Center Leading To Lawmakers Demanding Answers

Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old woman from Haiti, died on May 31 while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida. Her death, now under investigation, has drawn criticism from lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates, particularly amid escalating immigration crackdowns under President Donald Trump.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), the only Haitian-American in Congress, condemned the treatment Blaise allegedly received, saying, “Marie had been complaining about chest pain for hours. They gave her some pills and told her to go lie down. Unfortunately, Marie never woke up.” Speaking on the House floor, she called for a "full, independent investigation" and emphasized that Blaise's family “deserve[s] accountability.”

ICE claimed in a public statement that detainees are never “denied emergent care” and that individuals in custody receive “medical, dental and mental health screening and 24-hour emergency care.” However, six people, including Blaise, have died in ICE custody since the 2025 fiscal year began, with half of those deaths occurring after January.

According to ICE, Blaise entered the U.S. without authorization on an unknown date. She was first encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on February 12 at the airport in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, while trying to board a flight to North Carolina. She was issued an expedited removal notice and transferred to ICE custody in Puerto Rico, later moved to Louisiana, and then to Florida, where she died nearly three weeks after her final transfer.

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) expressed her anger on social media, writing, “How many more stories do we have to hear of immigrants being mistreated at these black hole detention centers? When are we going to get answers?”

Blaise’s death comes amid an intensification of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. ICE reported over 66,000 arrests and more than 65,000 deportations in Trump’s first 100 days of his second term. As public disapproval of Trump’s immigration policies grows—only 44% of Americans support them, according to a recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll—advocates are demanding humane treatment and protection for immigrant communities.

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