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29-year-old man dies at Tucson hospital while in CBP custody

Border Patrol
Posted at 11:24 AM, Mar 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-28 21:31:58-04

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said a 29-year-old man from Guatemala died while in their custody at a Tucson-area hospital Saturday.

CBP said the man was apprehended by Casa Grande Border Patrol agents late Friday night. Details of his arrival haven't been released.

RELATED: Longtime residents divided on border surge, question Governor Ducey’s visit

The man began showing signs of medical distress while in custody in Tucson where he was transported to a local hospital.

CBP said the man went into cardiac arrest and was eventually admitted to the ICU unit of Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tucson.

On Saturday, the man was pronounced dead.

Authorities said the man's death is being reviewed by the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Last week, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas reiterated that the border is not open and that migrants should not come to the southern border -- especially in the midst of the pandemic.

"Now is not the time to come," Mayorkas stressed. "Do not come. This journey is dangerous. We are building safe, orderly and humane ways to address the needs of vulnerable children, do not come."

The secretary also said that they were using "Title 42" to send back migrants across the border due to the pandemic -- keeping this existing Trump administration policy has drawn criticism from immigration advocates.