An ICE detainee being held in Nassau County jails was found dead in his cell this week, sparking both state and local investigations.
The unidentified 42-year-old migrant detainee was discovered “not breathing” inside his cell in the East Meadow lockup early Thursday morning, and was later pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene, officials said.
It was the first reported death of a migrant detainee in the Nassau jail since the county opened its cells to federal immigration authorities earlier this year.
The county’s homicide squad is now investigation, as is the State Attorney General’s Office, to determine the cause of death and whether jail protocols were properly followed, authorities said.
“There is an ongoing investigation which will be thorough and transparent to determine the cause of death,” Sheriff Anthony Larocco said in a statement.
“Nassau County takes seriously its obligation to treat every prisoner humanely.”
As part of a controversial partnership with the feds, Nassau County set aside 50 cells at the East Meadow jail to hold detainees nabbed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York City and Long Island.
In July, officials revealed Nassau jails had so far held over 1,400 migrant detainees for ICE since February as part of the partnership.
Under the deal, migrants can be held in the jail for up to 72 hours before ICE either deports them or ships them off to a long-term detention facility, with the feds reimbursing the county $195 per detainee, per night, officials said.
ICE did not respond Friday to a request for comment regarding the detainee’s death.
Legislator Seth Koslow, a Democrat running for county executive in November, called the death “a tragedy that demands answers.”
Koslow said that he would be calling for a legislative hearing “to ensure transparency, responsibility, and justice for all residents, including anyone in our jails.”
The county also recently trained 10 police officers to be deputized as ICE agents, preparing them to assist federal officials if needed in any mass deportation efforts authorized by the Trump administration.
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