The death of 34-year-old Canadian citizen Marcus Thompson while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about detention conditions for foreign nationals. Thompson, a Toronto native, was found unresponsive in his cell at the Adams County Detention Facility in Mississippi last Tuesday, becoming the ninth person to die in ICE custody this fiscal year.
According to documents obtained by CO24 News, Thompson had been detained for nearly seven months following an arrest for overstaying his visa during a visit to relatives in Louisiana. Family members report that Thompson, who had no prior criminal record, had complained about inadequate medical attention for his asthma condition during three separate phone calls in the weeks before his death.
“He told me they weren’t taking his breathing problems seriously,” said Thompson’s sister, Alicia, in an exclusive interview. “He was rationing his inhaler because the medical staff kept delaying his requests for a refill.”
An ICE spokesperson stated that preliminary findings suggest Thompson suffered a severe asthma attack, though the official autopsy results are still pending. The agency maintains that all detainees receive “comprehensive medical care,” but Canada News investigations have uncovered at least 12 formal complaints about healthcare access at the Adams County facility filed in the past year alone.
Canadian consular officials have demanded a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s death. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexandra Bennett issued a statement expressing “deep concern” and confirming that diplomatic representatives are providing support to Thompson’s family while pressing U.S. authorities for answers.
“The government of Canada takes the safety and wellbeing of all its citizens abroad extremely seriously,” Bennett stated. “We are working diligently to establish all the facts in this tragic case.”
This incident occurs amid heightened tensions between Ottawa and Washington over immigration policies. Last month, as reported on CO24 Politics, the Canadian government formally protested the extended detention periods for visa violators, which have increased by 47% under current U.S. immigration directives.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union, have condemned Thompson’s death as preventable. A coalition of advocacy groups points to systemic issues within ICE detention facilities, citing a 2023 Department of Homeland Security Inspector General report that found “persistent deficiencies” in medical care standards at multiple detention centers.
“This tragedy highlights the potentially fatal consequences of immigration detention policies that prioritize enforcement over human dignity,” said immigration attorney Elena Rodriguez. “Administrative visa violations should never result in a death sentence.”
As Thompson’s family prepares to repatriate his remains to Canada, the incident has ignited renewed debate about the treatment of foreign nationals in U.S. immigration custody. World News analysts note that similar cases have occurred involving citizens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti in recent years.
As this story continues to develop, the fundamental question remains: how many more preventable deaths must occur before meaningful reform transforms a system designed to process immigration violations but increasingly resembling punitive incarceration?
