Man Dies in ICE Custody in Laredo: What Detainees Should Know
A 63-year-old man from Mexico died in ICE custody in Laredo, Texas, just three days after he was arrested by immigration agents. Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez was found unresponsive at a detention center on the evening of June 19, 2026. His death is now under investigation, and the cause has not yet been officially confirmed.
What Happened in Laredo
Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez, 63, was found unresponsive at 9:13 p.m. on June 19, 2026, at the Webb County Detention Center (WCDC) in Laredo, Texas. Detention center staff called a medical emergency and began lifesaving measures. Emergency medical services transported him by ambulance to Laredo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:02 p.m. An autopsy is pending to determine the official cause of death.
ICE arrested Alcorta-Rodriguez on June 16, 2026, just three days before he died. He had been released from the Webb County Jail after the Laredo Police Department arrested him on May 9 for an outstanding warrant. That warrant was connected to a driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest from February 5, 2018, for failure to appear in court. ICE records also show previous arrests for unauthorized use of a vehicle, multiple counts of unauthorized disposal of a lead acid battery, and DWI. ICE said he entered the United States without legal authorization at an unknown date.
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ICE stated that Alcorta-Rodriguez received medical care and was seen by medical professionals while in custody. Under ICE policy, the agency notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the DHS Office of Inspector General, the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Consulate General of Mexico. His next of kin was also notified. ICE is required by law to report all in-custody deaths to Congress, nongovernmental organizations, and the public.
What Detainees and Families Should Know
When someone is held in ICE detention, they have the right to medical care from the moment they arrive. ICE policy requires a medical screening within 12 hours of arrival, a full health assessment within 14 days, and access to 24-hour emergency care. If you or a family member is in ICE custody and not receiving medical attention, you have the right to ask for it — and to have a lawyer notified.
What to Do
- Contact an immigration lawyer immediately if a family member is detained by ICE. Lawyers can check on a detainee's location using the ICE online detainee locator at ice.gov.
- Ask about medical care. If a detained person has a health condition, their lawyer or family can request that ICE provide proper treatment. Document all requests in writing.
- Know your consular rights. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you have the right to contact your country's consulate. ICE is required to notify the consulate when a foreign national dies in custody.
- Request records after a death. Families can file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request — a formal request for government documents — to get medical and detention records. An immigration or civil rights attorney can help with this process.
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When someone dies in ICE custody, the family has the right to request an independent autopsy and to obtain detention and medical records through a FOIA request — do not wait for ICE to provide this information voluntarily. If the detainee was not given timely medical care, there may be grounds for a civil rights complaint filed with the DHS Office of Inspector General. Consult an immigration or civil rights attorney quickly, as deadlines for filing complaints can be short.