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The ICE custody death of an immigrant in Louisiana raised the number of deaths recorded this year to 19.

ICE Reaches 19 Deaths Immigrant Dies in Louisiana Autopsy Results Pending The death of a Georgian immigrant in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has once again drawn attention to conditions inside immigration detention centers in the United States. Mamuka Artmeladze, 43, died in Louisiana after being found unconscious in his cell. […]

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The ICE custody death of an immigrant in Louisiana raised the number of deaths recorded this year to 19.
Foto Shutterstock
  • ICE Reaches 19 Deaths
  • Immigrant Dies in Louisiana
  • Autopsy Results Pending

The death of a Georgian immigrant in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has once again drawn attention to conditions inside immigration detention centers in the United States.

Mamuka Artmeladze, 43, died in Louisiana after being found unconscious in his cell.

Death of Immigrant in ICE Custody Reported in Louisiana

In the United States, an immigrant from the Republic of Georgia has died at an ICE detention center. Mamuka Artmeladze is the 50th person to die in ICE custody since Trump returned to the presidency of the United States.…
pic.twitter.com/ciTS2cLNnf

— Democracy Now! en español (@DemocracyNowEs) June 9, 2026

His case adds to a growing number of deaths recorded this year while migrants were in federal custody.

  • Why it matters: The death raises the number of immigrants who have died in ICE custody so far in 2026 to 19.

It also occurred at a facility that is already facing questions over alleged negligence.

He Was Found Unconscious in His Cell

Artmeladze, originally from Georgia, was found unconscious on the night of June 4 at the Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana.

According to authorities, emergency personnel responded immediately to the incident inside the facility.

The immigrant was then transferred to a hospital for medical attention.

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However, he was declared dead approximately two hours later.

Authorities said the official cause of death has not yet been determined.

The autopsy results will establish what happened and help clarify the circumstances surrounding the death.

The Center Was Already Under Investigation

Mamuka Artmeladze’s death represents the second death recorded in less than two months inside the Winn Correctional Center.

The facility has been under investigation due to complaints related to alleged negligence.

The new case increases scrutiny over the conditions in which people detained at this immigration center are being held.

So far, authorities have not reported whether the death is connected in any way to the existing complaints.

The investigation into the case continues while forensic results are pending.

His Case Adds to a Record Number of Deaths

According to information provided by ICE, Artmeladze was initially detained by the U.S. Border Patrol on September 25, 2022.

After that detention, he was released on parole.

Authorities instructed him to report to ICE within 60 days.

According to the agency, the immigrant did not comply with that order.

He was later detained again on February 5, 2026.

The arrest occurred during an operation targeting commercial vehicle drivers considered a public safety risk near Alabama.

ICE said in a statement that it decided to keep him in custody after determining that he did not have legal status to remain in the United States.

With his death, the number of immigrants who have died in ICE custody during 2026 rises to 19.

The case also comes after 32 deaths were recorded in the agency’s custody in 2025.

That figure corresponded to the first year of Donald Trump’s government and represented the highest number of deaths in more than two decades.

As investigations into Artmeladze’s death continue, authorities are awaiting the autopsy results to clarify the cause of death.