Fact Check: Family learned of death from the Mexican consulate, not ICE.

Fact Check: "Family learned of death from the Mexican consulate, not ICE."

What We Know

The claim that the family learned of a death from the Mexican consulate rather than from ICE is rooted in the protocols surrounding consular notification. According to the State Department guidelines, when foreign nationals are arrested or detained in the U.S., they must be informed of their right to have their consulate notified. This process is part of the consular notification and access framework, which is a mutual obligation based on treaties between the U.S. and foreign governments.

In a specific case involving a Mexican national in ICE custody, it was reported that the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division of ICE provided telephone notification of the individual's death to the Mexican consulate in Atlanta. This notification is consistent with ICE's responsibilities under the law, which includes informing consulates of deaths occurring in custody (ICE News Release).

However, there are conflicting reports regarding the timeliness and effectiveness of these notifications. For instance, a report from Latin Times indicated that Mexico's Secretariat of Foreign Affairs expressed concerns over not being notified promptly, which raises questions about the communication process between ICE and the consulate following the death.

Analysis

The evidence surrounding this claim is mixed. On one hand, the State Department clearly outlines the obligations of U.S. authorities to notify consulates when foreign nationals die in custody. This aligns with the reported actions of ICE in notifying the Mexican consulate of the death, as noted in the ICE news release (ICE News Release).

On the other hand, the concerns raised by the Mexican government regarding the adequacy of notification procedures suggest that there may be instances where families are not informed directly by ICE, leading to situations where they first learn about a death through consular channels instead. The report from Latin Times highlights a potential gap in communication that could support the claim that families might not receive timely information from ICE.

The reliability of the sources varies; while the State Department and ICE are official government entities, the reports from Latin Times and other media outlets may carry biases or sensationalism. Therefore, while there is a framework for notification, the effectiveness and execution of this process can vary significantly.

Conclusion

Needs Research: The claim that the family learned of the death from the Mexican consulate rather than ICE is plausible but requires further investigation. The existing evidence indicates that ICE does have a protocol for notifying consulates, but there are also indications that this process may not always be executed effectively. Additional information from the family or more detailed accounts of the notification process would be necessary to definitively validate or refute the claim.

Sources

1. Mexican national in ICE custody passes away
2. Consular Notification and Access - Travel - State Department
3. Enforcement and Removal Operations
4. Death of a U.S. Citizen
5. Noncitizen in ICE custody passes away at Georgia hospital
6. Mexico Confronts ICE Over Denied Access After Death of Detained Mexican ...
7. Mexican citizen dies in US immigration detention center
8. ESL Conversation Questions - Family (I-TESL-J)