ICE took more than a week to acknowledge death of Chinese man who died hours after being taken into custody. China presses the US for answers

The Chinese government is actively demanding answers following the death of a 51-year-old Chinese man who passed away just hours after being placed into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Associated Press reported. Lianyong Wei died on August 23 at a hospital located in the Northern Mariana Islands, though the agency did not formally announce the incident until a news release was issued on Tuesday.

Wei was initially arrested on August 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety. He faced criminal charges related to an alleged assault on a family of five at their home. By the following day, he was transferred into the custody of ICE while awaiting removal proceedings.

According to the agency, a guard at the lockup in Saipan discovered Wei unresponsive during routine morning checks on August 23. While he was rushed to a hospital emergency room and underwent life-sustaining interventions, he was eventually pronounced dead. Authorities in the Northern Mariana Islands made the news public on August 24. The cause of his death remains under investigation, which is a critical piece of information that is still missing.

This situation has drawn immediate attention from the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles

The consulate confirmed it was notified of the death and has since made its position clear. “We have expressed serious concerns to the relevant U.S. authorities over this incident and required a timely and thorough investigation into the cause of Mr. Wei’s death, notification of the findings, measures to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents, and assistance to the family of the deceased in handling the aftermath,” the consulate said in a statement.

It is worth noting that ICE typically aims to issue news releases regarding detainee deaths within two business days. The delay in this specific case is quite noticeable. Furthermore, there is no word yet on whether Wei actually received the medical intake screening that the agency promises to provide to all detainees within their first 12 hours of custody. Medical experts have long maintained that these screenings are vital for preventing deaths.

Wei had entered the U.S. territory back in February 2019 with authorization to stay for two weeks. U.S. authorities did not initiate removal proceedings until July 2026, and his next hearing had been scheduled for this month.

This incident marks at least the fifth time a Chinese national has died while in the custody of ICE or the U.S. Border Patrol since March 2025. With at least 57 ICE detainees having died since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the rising death rate has sparked significant alarm among public health experts, immigrant advocates, and the Mexican government.

The facility in Saipan is relatively small, holding an average of 18 ICE detainees on any given day throughout this year, while the Northern Mariana Islands as a whole has a population of roughly 50,000 people.

In response to the event, Northern Mariana Islands corrections commissioner Anthony Torres issued a statement. “Following this incident, the Department is reviewing relevant procedures and will implement any necessary corrective actions to strengthen prevention and response measures,” Torres said.