Nhon Ngoc Nguyen: Death of a Vietnamese Refugee in ICE Custody¶
Published: February 11, 2026
Type: Investigative dossier -- detention death / medical neglect
Overall Confidence: HIGH (12+ independent sources, three-source verification)
Executive Summary¶
On April 16, 2025, Nhon Ngoc Nguyen -- a 55-year-old Vietnamese refugee who had lived in the United States for 42 years -- died of acute pneumonia at the Long Term Acute Care Hospital in El Paso, Texas, while in ICE custody. He suffered from dementia as a contributing condition.
Nguyen was arrested on February 24, 2025, during a routine check-in appointment with ICE in Albuquerque, New Mexico -- an appointment he had been faithfully attending for over a decade. The Trump administration detained him claiming "a significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future to Vietnam," despite Vietnam having refused to issue travel documents for him since 2013.
For the 52 days between his arrest and death, Nguyen was transferred between the El Paso Processing Center and hospitals at least five times. His family could not locate him for over a month. When ICE finally contacted them in late March, the agency said he was "ready for release but needed 24/7 medical care." He died three weeks later, with a Do-Not-Resuscitate order issued just two days before his death.
His autopsy confirmed acute pneumonia as cause of death, with dementia as a secondary factor. He had developed stage II pressure ulcers, required maximum assistance for all activities of daily living, and was placed on a BiPAP machine for respiratory distress before dying.
This case represents the lethal convergence of immigration detention of a cognitively impaired refugee with no realistic deportation prospect, medical care failure for a vulnerable individual unable to advocate for himself, communication breakdown that prevented family from intervening, and a system that held a dying man in custody rather than releasing him to his family.
1. Victim Profile¶
Personal Information¶
| Field | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Nhon Ngoc Nguyen | ICE Detainee Death Report (DDR) |
| Age at Death | 55 | ICE official report |
| Nationality | Vietnamese | ICE, multiple sources |
| Entry to U.S. | July 14, 1983 | ICE DDR |
| Legal Status | Legal Permanent Resident (Refugee Act of 1980) | ICE DDR |
| Residence (2018-2025) | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Albuquerque Journal, ICE |
| Family | Based in Dallas, Texas; nephew Duke Nguyen | Albuquerque Journal |
| Community | Had a partner and "huge community of friends" in Albuquerque | Attorney Tin Nguyen |
| Interests | Loved soccer; affection for his nieces in Vietnam | Duke Nguyen statement |
Note on age discrepancy: One outlet reported age 58; ICE and nearly all other sources report 55. ICE's official detainee death report lists 55. Assessed as 55 with high confidence.
Medical Background (Pre-Detention)¶
Attorney Tin Nguyen reported that Nhon Ngoc Nguyen had been showing early signs of dementia and possible side effects from a head injury prior to his detention.
Criminal History¶
On September 10, 1991, Nguyen was convicted of second-degree murder in California and sentenced to 15 years in prison. This conviction violated the terms of his refugee residency and became the basis for his removal proceedings.
ICE lodged an immigration detainer at San Quentin State Prison on September 15, 2004. When Nguyen was paroled on November 12, 2013, San Quentin immediately transferred him to ICE custody. An immigration judge ordered his removal to Vietnam on December 11, 2013. However, Vietnam refused to issue a travel document, and on January 13, 2014, ICE released him on an Order of Supervision.
For the next 11 years, Nguyen faithfully complied with his supervision requirements, transferring his case from San Francisco to Dallas (2014), then from Dallas to Albuquerque (2018). He attended all required check-ins.
2. Immigration Policy Context¶
The Pre-1995 Vietnamese Deportation Problem¶
Nhon Ngoc Nguyen arrived in the United States in 1983 -- 12 years before the U.S. and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations in 1995. This distinction is legally significant.
The 2008 U.S.-Vietnam Repatriation Agreement explicitly excluded refugees who arrived before July 12, 1995. Vietnam would only consider issuing travel documents for post-1995 arrivals.
A 2020 Memorandum of Understanding created a process for deporting pre-1995 immigrants, but before 2025, Vietnam was generally only issuing a handful of travel documents for "pre-95" immigrants each year.
The 2025 shift:
- January 2025: ICE began detaining pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants at sharply increased rates
- February 2025: Vietnam pledged to support U.S. deportations under threat of tariffs and visa sanctions
- June 2025: ICE formally rescinded its policy of generally releasing pre-1995 Vietnamese immigrants within 90 days of final removal orders
- May 25, 2025: First mass deportation flight to Southeast Asia since 2020 -- 93 Vietnamese and 65 Laotian nationals
When ICE arrested Nguyen on February 24, 2025, Vietnam had refused his travel document in 2013. A federal judge in Boston subsequently ruled in a similar case that ICE "did not identify any facts" showing removal of pre-1995 Vietnamese refugees was significantly likely in the reasonably foreseeable future.
As of late 2024, approximately 8,675 Vietnamese nationals lived in the U.S. with final deportation orders, most of whom arrived as refugees after the Vietnam War.
3. Timeline of Events¶
Arrest and Detention¶
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 24, 2025 | Arrested during routine ICE check-in in Albuquerque, NM; detained at El Paso Processing Center (EPSPC) |
| Feb 25, 2025 | Medical intake assessment: vital signs normal, but assessment could not be completed due to altered mental status (AMS) and disorientation; abnormal gait, weakness, unable to answer any questions |
| Feb 26, 2025 | Transported to Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) Hospital, El Paso, for altered mental status, inability to ambulate, inability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) |
| Feb 27 - Mar 12 | Continuous hospitalization at LTAC (14 days) |
| Mar 13, 2025 | Discharged from LTAC; returned to EPSPC Medical Housing Unit |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Transferred to University Medical Center (UMC) El Paso |
| Mar 26, 2025 | Discharged from UMC; returned to LTAC Hospital |
| Late March | ICE contacts family for first time; states Nguyen ready for release but needs 24/7 medical care |
| Apr 5, 2025 | Discharged from LTAC Hospital; returned to EPSPC |
| Apr 7, 2025 | Transported back to LTAC Hospital (48 hours after previous discharge) |
| Apr 8-15, 2025 | Diagnoses documented: AMS, dementia, agitation, stage II pressure ulcer, maximum assistance required for all ADLs |
| Apr 14, 2025 | BiPAP machine applied for respiratory distress; Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order issued due to terminal condition |
| Apr 16, 2025 | Death at 1:34 PM at LTAC Hospital, El Paso, TX |
Duration in ICE custody before death: 52 days
Post-Death¶
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2025 | ICE classifies death as "natural causes" |
| Autopsy | Cause of death: acute pneumonia; contributing factor: dementia |
| May 1, 2025 | Thousands attend May Day rally in Tiguex Park, Albuquerque; neighbors carry Nguyen's photo; nephew Duke Nguyen's statement read aloud |
| July 19, 2025 | Tien Xuan Phan, second Vietnamese national, dies in ICE custody in Texas |
4. Medical Care Analysis¶
The Hospital Shuttle Pattern¶
Nguyen was transferred between the El Paso Processing Center and hospitals at least five times in 52 days:
- EPSPC to LTAC Hospital (Feb 26)
- LTAC to EPSPC (Mar 13)
- EPSPC to UMC El Paso (Mar 14)
- UMC to LTAC (Mar 26)
- LTAC to EPSPC (Apr 5)
- EPSPC to LTAC (Apr 7) -- final admission
- Death at LTAC (Apr 16)
This revolving door pattern -- discharge, readmit, discharge, readmit -- indicates the detention facility could not manage his care. A person with progressive dementia, altered mental status, and inability to perform basic activities of daily living was repeatedly returned to a facility that was unable to accommodate his needs. Each discharge back to EPSPC resulted in rapid readmission.
The April 5/April 7 cycle is particularly notable: discharged on a Saturday, readmitted on a Monday. The detention center could not manage him for 48 hours.
Initial Assessment Failure¶
On February 25, the day after arrest, EPSPC medical staff documented that the intake assessment could not be completed because Nguyen was disoriented, could not answer questions (including his own medical history), had an abnormal gait, and displayed weakness. A person whose initial medical screening cannot be completed due to cognitive impairment raises serious questions about the appropriateness of detention.
Pressure Ulcers¶
Between April 8-15, hospital staff documented a stage II pressure ulcer -- partial-thickness skin loss with exposed dermis. Pressure ulcers develop from sustained pressure that reduces blood flow to skin. In a hospital or institutional setting, their development indicates either inadequate repositioning protocols, extended immobility without proper preventive care, or insufficient nursing attention. For a patient requiring "maximum assistance for all ADLs," pressure ulcers suggest care fell below standard.
DNR Order¶
On April 14, attending physicians issued a Do-Not-Resuscitate order citing terminal condition. Key questions remain about who authorized this order and whether Nguyen's family -- which had been unreachable for over a month after his arrest -- was consulted. ICE states they "coordinated closely with Nguyen's attorney to identify and contact family members able to take custody," but the phrase "to no avail" raises questions given the family was in Dallas and had been in contact since late March.
Pneumonia and Dementia¶
Pneumonia in a dementia patient is a well-documented terminal pathway. Dementia patients are at elevated risk for aspiration pneumonia due to swallowing dysfunction, impaired cough reflex, immobility, and institutional pathogen exposure. Whether adequate aspiration precautions, regular repositioning, nutrition support, and close monitoring were provided is unknown from public sources, but the repeated hospital transfers suggest the detention system was not equipped for this patient's needs.
5. Facility Analysis: El Paso Service Processing Center¶
Facility Profile¶
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 8915 Montana Avenue, El Paso, TX |
| Operator | ICE (government-run) |
| Capacity | 840 beds |
| Constructed | 1966 (original buildings) |
| Average stay | ~66 days |
Documented History¶
2019: ICE force-fed at least nine South Asian asylum seekers on hunger strike at EPSPC. When detainees resisted, ICE placed hunger strikers in solitary confinement. The Detention Watch Network described the conditions as "egregious" and "endemic to the detention system nationwide."
May 2025: Amnesty International released "Dehumanized by Design," based on an April 2025 research trip (contemporaneous with Nguyen's final days):
- Documented "widespread human rights violations"
- Found "systematic mistreatment, arbitrary detention, lack of due process"
- Described "substandard or inhumane detention conditions" violating both international and ICE's own standards
- Detainees reported threats of transfer to Guantanamo or El Salvador as intimidation tactics
- Of 81 people who signed up to speak with Amnesty, ICE only allowed 27 to be interviewed
- Only 9 of 27 had legal counsel
June 2025: EPSPC was found non-compliant in a federal audit.
Immigration attorney Andrew Free described EPSPC as "long known by organizers as the agency's detention facility of choice for court-ordered force-feeding and retaliatory transfers."
El Paso Detention Context¶
Nguyen died during a period of massive expansion in El Paso's detention infrastructure. In addition to EPSPC, Camp East Montana opened at Fort Bliss in August 2025 -- now the largest ICE facility in the nation with capacity for 5,000. Camp East Montana has since seen three deaths in two months (December 2025-January 2026), including one ruled homicide by the medical examiner, plus tuberculosis and COVID-19 outbreaks.
6. Pattern Analysis¶
2025: Deadliest Year in ICE Custody in Two Decades¶
Thirty-two people died in ICE custody in 2025, tying the 2004 record for the most deaths in more than 20 years. Texas accounted for approximately 8 deaths, or 25% of the national total. December 2025 was the single deadliest month on record.
The detention population grew approximately 50% during 2025, reaching 65,735 by November. Nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of detainees had no criminal conviction. Simultaneously, ICE reduced detention facility inspections by 36.25%, and the Trump administration shut down three internal DHS oversight offices that had investigated civil rights violations.
Vietnamese Nationals Who Died in ICE Custody (2025)¶
| Name | Age | Date of Death | Location | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nhon Ngoc Nguyen | 55 | April 16, 2025 | El Paso, TX | Acute pneumonia / dementia |
| Tien Xuan Phan | 55 | July 19, 2025 | Karnes County, TX | Under investigation (seizures, vomiting) |
Both were Vietnamese nationals, both age 55, both detained in Texas, both died after medical emergencies in hospitals outside detention facilities, both had final orders of removal dating back years (Nguyen: 2013; Phan: 2012), and both had been unenforced because Vietnam historically refused to accept them. Both were arrested under the Trump administration's expanded enforcement posture.
Asian Deaths in ICE Custody¶
AsAmNews reported that nearly 1 out of 4 ICE custody deaths in 2025 were Asian, with five Asian immigrants dying in ICE custody since Trump took office in January 2025. This disproportionate death rate has drawn concern from Asian American advocacy organizations.
Medical Neglect Pattern¶
Nguyen's case fits a documented pattern across 2025 ICE deaths:
- An ACLU report found most ICE custody deaths from 2017-2021 could have been prevented with proper medical care
- Human Rights Watch documented "dangerously substandard medical care" leading to fatalities
- Nurses deployed to detention centers reported facilities overcrowded to three times capacity, batch medical screenings violating patient privacy, and "informal visual assessments" replacing proper medical evaluation
- Multiple human rights organizations have documented a pattern of ICE releasing individuals from custody shortly before death to avoid including them in official death counts
The Oscar Rascon Duarte Parallel¶
Nguyen's medical trajectory closely mirrors that of Oscar Rascon Duarte, a 58-year-old Mexican national who also died in 2025 ICE custody. Both had advanced dementia, both developed pressure ulcers, both were placed on BiPAP machines, both had DNR orders issued, both were transferred repeatedly between detention and hospitals, and both died of complications related to cognitive decline. This pattern suggests a systemic failure to provide adequate care for detainees with cognitive impairment.
7. ICE's Response¶
ICE issued its standard statement, used nearly identically for Nguyen and other 2025 deaths:
"ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay."
ICE also stated: "ICE officials coordinated closely with Nguyen's attorney to identify and contact Nguyen's family members able to take custody and care for him in the United States [sic] to no avail."
Attorney Andrew Free highlighted the bitter irony of this statement: ICE claims it tried to release a man it had arrested, but could not find family -- while the family was in Dallas and had been unreachable only because ICE had not notified them of his whereabouts for over a month.
8. Family and Community Response¶
Attorney Tin Nguyen¶
Tin Nguyen, an attorney for the family (no apparent relation to Nhon Ngoc), provided multiple statements:
"We don't know the details of what happened in his last days at the hospital."
"I think there are a lot of questions that need to be answered in how ICE treats people who are sick."
The family believes there was "some negligence" on the part of ICE.
Tin Nguyen said the family -- based in Dallas -- did not know where Nhon Ngoc was from mid-February until late March, when ICE told them he was "ready to be released but needed 24/7 medical care."
About Nhon Ngoc's life in Albuquerque: "He had a loving partner and a huge community of friends. He was kind."
May Day Rally -- Tiguex Park, Albuquerque (May 1, 2025)¶
Thousands attended. The rally opened with neighbors of Nhon Ngoc Nguyen speaking out and holding signs with his photo.
A statement from his nephew, Duke Nguyen, was read aloud, memorializing his uncle's love of soccer and his affection for his nieces who remained in Vietnam:
"With this, I say we remember Nhon as someone who will be deeply missed, but never forgotten -- for the person he was and the impact he had on those around him."
Advocacy Organizations¶
Vietnamese American Organization (VAO): Issued a formal press release condemning ICE after the second Vietnamese death in custody (Tien Xuan Phan), connecting both cases to a broader pattern of medical neglect.
Stop AAPI Hate: "Among the fatalities is Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee who suffered from dementia. His family -- unable to locate him for weeks after he was disappeared by ICE -- says he died from medical neglect, alone in ICE custody & unaware of his whereabouts."
Detention Watch Network: "We are deeply saddened and angered by the increasing loss of life in ICE custody." Called Trump's detention expansion "exacerbating a system that is already proven to be inherently inhumane."
9. Critical Questions¶
Medical Care¶
- Was aspiration pneumonia specifically addressed? Aspiration precautions are standard of care for dementia patients. Were they implemented?
- What was the source of his pneumonia -- hospital-acquired, detention facility-acquired, or community-acquired?
- Were antibiotics administered promptly and appropriately?
- Why was he discharged April 5 only to be readmitted April 7? What discharge criteria were met for a patient requiring maximum assistance for all activities of daily living?
- Was hospice care considered earlier? The hospital was reportedly preparing hospice transfer before his death.
Detention Decision¶
- On what basis did ICE determine deportation was "significantly likely"? Vietnam had refused his travel document in 2013.
- Why was a man who could not complete a medical intake detained?
- Should medical release have been granted? ICE itself acknowledged by late March he needed 24/7 care and was "ready for release."
- A federal judge in Boston subsequently ruled similar detention of a pre-1995 Vietnamese refugee was unlawful. Does that ruling have implications for this case?
Family Communication¶
- Why was the family not notified for over a month?
- Who authorized the DNR? Was the family consulted?
- Could the family have provided better care if notified earlier? They were in Dallas.
Accountability¶
- Has any criminal investigation, congressional inquiry, or internal accountability review been opened?
- Were ICE detention standards (PBNDS 2011/2019) followed? These standards require "timely and unimpeded access to necessary medical care" and specialized care for vulnerable populations.
- Did the Amnesty International investigation (contemporaneous with Nguyen's final days) uncover any specific information about his case?
10. Assessment¶
Confidence Levels¶
HIGH confidence (3+ independent sources):
- Nguyen was a 55-year-old Vietnamese refugee, legal resident since 1983
- Arrested February 24, 2025, during routine ICE check-in in Albuquerque
- Detained at El Paso Processing Center
- Transferred between detention and hospitals at least 5 times in 52 days
- Died April 16, 2025, at LTAC Hospital in El Paso
- Cause of death: acute pneumonia with dementia as secondary cause
- Family could not locate him for over a month after arrest
- DNR issued April 14, two days before death
- Stage II pressure ulcer documented
- 2025 was deadliest year for ICE custody deaths in 20 years (32 total)
- Second Vietnamese national to die in ICE custody in 2025
MEDIUM confidence (2 sources):
- Whether medical care met constitutional and regulatory standards
- Whether dementia care protocols were followed
- Whether DNR order involved informed family consent
- Whether detention was medically appropriate given cognitive impairment
- Whether pneumonia was preventable with better care
LOW confidence (single source or unconfirmed):
- Medical neglect as direct proximate cause of death
- Specific details of his daily care in detention
- Whether Vietnam would actually have accepted him for deportation
- Internal ICE communications regarding his case
Overall Assessment¶
Death was likely preventable. Confidence: MEDIUM-HIGH.
The evidence strongly suggests that detaining a cognitively impaired 55-year-old man with progressive dementia -- who could not complete a medical intake, could not answer questions, could not walk normally, and had no realistic deportation prospect -- was medically inappropriate and contributed to his death.
The hospital shuttle pattern demonstrates the detention system was not equipped to care for him. The development of stage II pressure ulcers indicates substandard care. The one-month communication blackout prevented his family from advocating for his release or providing supplemental care. The late-stage DNR raises ethical concerns about informed consent.
While pneumonia in a dementia patient can occur even with excellent care, the totality of circumstances -- inadequate initial screening, repeated failed discharges, pressure ulcers, communication failures, and ICE's own acknowledgment that he was "ready for release" weeks before his death -- suggests that continued detention meaningfully contributed to his death.
He was compliant for 11 years. He showed up to his check-in. He was arrested. He died 52 days later.
11. Sources¶
Primary Government Sources¶
- ICE Official Detainee Death Report (DDR) -- https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddrNguyenNhonNgoc.pdf
- ICE News Release -- https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/vietnamese-national-ice-custody-dies-el-paso-long-term-acute-care-hospital
News Investigations¶
- Albuquerque Journal -- "Vietnamese man living in Albuquerque dies months after being taken into ICE custody" -- https://www.abqjournal.com/news/vietnamese-man-living-in-albuquerque-dies-months-after-being-taken-into-ice-custody/482307
- NBC News -- "Investigation underway after Vietnamese national in ICE custody died in hospital" -- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigation-underway-vietnamese-national-ice-custody-died-hospital-rcna220180
- The Guardian -- "2025 was ICE's deadliest year in two decades. Here are the 32 people who died in custody" -- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/04/ice-2025-deaths-timeline
- Source New Mexico -- "'We all deserve better': New Mexico marches for workers, immigrants" -- https://sourcenm.com/2025/05/01/we-all-deserve-better-new-mexico-marches-for-workers-immigrants/
Analysis and Legal Sources¶
- #DetentionKills (Andrew Free) -- "To No Avail" -- https://detentionkills.substack.com/p/to-no-avail
- Texas Signal -- "Deaths In ICE Detention Escalate" -- https://texassignal.com/deaths-in-ice-detention-escalate/
- Truthout -- "3 People Die in ICE Custody in April as Conditions Worsen" -- https://truthout.org/articles/3-people-die-in-ice-custody-in-april-as-conditions-worsen-in-immigration-jails/
- Davis Vanguard -- "Seven Deaths in ICE Custody Raise Concerns" -- https://davisvanguard.org/2025/05/ice-crisis-deaths-immigration/
Advocacy Sources¶
- Detention Watch Network -- "Cruel, Unnecessary, and Deadly" -- https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/pressroom/releases/2025/cruel-unnecessary-deadly-ice-reports-three-deaths-detention-april-alone
- Vietnamese American Organization (VAO) -- Press release -- https://www.vaousa.org/press-release-vietnamese-american-organization-condemns-ice-after-second-vietnamese-death-in-custody
- Stop AAPI Hate -- https://x.com/StopAAPIHate/status/1920254656250343724
- AsAmNews -- "ICE deaths surge under Trump. Nearly 1 out of 4 are Asian" -- https://asamnews.com/2025/11/14/asian-immigrant-deaths-ice-detention/
Facility and Policy Context¶
- Amnesty International -- "Dehumanized by Design" -- https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/amnesty-international-exposes-human-rights-violations-at-el-paso-immigrant-detention-facility/
- NPR -- "2025 is the deadliest year to be in ICE custody in decades" -- https://www.npr.org/2025/10/23/nx-s1-5538090/ice-detention-custody-immigration-arrest-enforcement-dhs-trump
- Asian Law Caucus -- Resources on Deportation of Vietnamese Immigrants Before 1995 -- https://www.asianlawcaucus.org/news-resources/guides-reports/trinh-reports
- The American Prospect -- "A Running Count of How Many People ICE Has Killed and Injured" -- https://prospect.org/2026/01/29/ice-trump-killed-injured-list-dhs-cbp-border-patrol-renee-good-alex-pretti/
- Hoodline -- "Vietnamese National in ICE Custody Passes Away" -- https://hoodline.com/2025/04/vietnamese-national-in-ice-custody-passes-away-of-natural-causes-in-el-paso-hospital/
Methodology¶
This dossier was compiled from publicly available sources as of February 11, 2026. A minimum three-source verification standard was applied to all core facts. Medical analysis is based on publicly available information and does not constitute a medical opinion. Full medical records remain unavailable.
Search queries: 11 distinct queries across ICE death databases, news archives, advocacy organizations, and legal resources.
Verification approach: Government sources cross-referenced with independent journalism and advocacy documentation. Timeline reconstructed from ICE DDR and cross-checked against news reporting.
His name was Nhon Ngoc Nguyen. He loved soccer. He loved his nieces. He showed up to his appointment. He was kind. He was 55 years old.