In a tragic incident that has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, a 44-year-old Haitian woman named Marie Ange Blaise died after spending more than two months in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This distressing news was announced by the agency on Tuesday, revealing that Blaise was pronounced dead on Friday evening at the Broward Transitional Center, located in Pompano Beach, Florida. The precise cause of her death is currently under investigation, raising serious questions about the conditions under which detainees are held.

On the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is the only Haitian-American member of Congress, voiced her grave concerns regarding the circumstances surrounding Blaise's death. She indicated that Blaise had been experiencing significant chest pain for an extended period before her death, yet was reportedly only given some pills and instructed to lie down. Cherfilus-McCormick lamented, "Unfortunately, Marie never woke up," highlighting serious allegations about the adequacy of medical care provided to detainees.

In response to inquiries about the standards of care in its facilities, ICE issued a statement asserting that at no point are detainees denied emergency medical care. The agency emphasized that all individuals in ICE custody are entitled to medical, dental, and mental health screenings, along with 24-hour emergency care at each facility. However, these assurances have done little to quell the concerns of lawmakers and advocates who demand a thorough examination of Blaise's case.

Under current federal law, ICE is required to publicly release all reports concerning in-custody deaths within 90 days. In the interim, Cherfilus-McCormick has announced her intention to visit the Pompano Beach facility herself, advocating for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the circumstances of Blaises death. Her loved ones deserve answers, she stated emphatically. They deserve accountability similar to countless immigrant families who have endured the pain of having their loved ones go missing or suffer harm while in custody.

Another representative from South Florida, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, expressed her profound sadness and anger over Blaise's death in a tweet. She urged her fellow members of Congress to visit ICE facilities to witness the conditions firsthand and to ensure greater oversight of the immigration policies that have come under scrutiny during the Trump administration. "How many more stories do we have to hear of immigrants being mistreated at these black hole detention centers?" Wilson questioned. "When are we going to get answers?"

The timeline of Blaise's custody reveals a convoluted journey through multiple facilities. ICE reported that she entered the United States without proper admission or parole, although the exact date and location remain unclear. According to the agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered Blaise on February 12 at the international airport in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, while she was attempting to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. On the same day, CBP issued her a Notice of Expedited Removal, citing her inadmissibility as an immigrant without a valid visa.

Two days later, she was transferred to ICE custody in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before being moved to Louisiana the following week, where she spent over a month at the Richwood Correctional Center. Finally, on April 5, she was relocated to the detention center in Pompano Beach, where she tragically passed away nearly three weeks later. Alarmingly, this incident is not isolated; data from ICE indicates that six other individuals have died in custody since the beginning of the 2025 fiscal year, with three of those deaths occurring since January.

This devastating news arrives amid intensified enforcement actions under the Trump administration, which has aggressively pursued raids, detentions, and deportations. Just a day after Blaise's death was reported, ICE disclosed that it had arrested 66,463 individuals without legal status, deporting 65,682 of them within the first 100 days of Trump's presidency. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, stated that they expect to see an increase in deportations going forward. "What we're doing is a change in the culture this first hundred days, and we are seeing success," she commented. However, this crackdown has led to widespread anxiety in immigrant communities and has incited large-scale protests, legal challenges, and broader concerns about a potential constitutional crisis.

Polls, such as an NPR/PBS News/Marist survey released recently, reflect a divided public opinion on Trump's handling of immigration, with only 44% of Americans expressing approval of his approach. The split is stark along party lines, revealing that a significant 87% of Republicans support his policies, while a mere 11% of Democrats do.