- A Chinese woman died by suicide while in custody at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) station in Arizona. She reportedly overstayed her visa, sparking questions about proper protocols.
- Rep. Pramila Jayapal criticized CBP for failing to properly conduct welfare checks on the detainee, and for the lack of medical response for nearly two hours after the incident.
- CBP acknowledged the tragedy but cited privacy constraints due to the incident occurring in a bathroom stall, and an investigation into the death is underway.
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A Chinese woman taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) for overstaying her visa died by suicide at a station in Arizona, raising the question of whether proper protocols were followed.
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., a ranking member of the House subcommittee managing immigration, issued a statement about the detainee’s death, saying Border Patrol agents did not adhere to correct procedures to ensure the woman’s safety considering welfare checks were logged, but officials at the agency investigating the incident could not confirm whether checks actually happened.
“As the CBP’s office of professional responsibility investigates this death, they must provide answers on why these welfare checks were not conducted and falsely recorded, and why this woman was able to die by suicide without any guard intervention,” Jayapal said.
What happened inside the facility?
According to Jayapal, surveillance footage showed the woman make a noose and tie it around her neck, but there was no medical response for nearly two hours.
Jayapal said the 52-year-old Chinese national was picked up by agents in California after authorities found she overstayed her B1/B2 visitor visa before she was sent to the Yuma, Arizona, station.
How is CBP responding?
CBP confirmed the woman’s death to the Tucson Sentinel.
“Each holding cell is under constant video surveillance. In this case, Border Patrol’s ability to observe the incident was limited due to privacy constraints — the incident occurred in a bathroom stall where cameras were not able to capture the full angle,” a CBP representative said in a statement. “All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated through CBP.”
Japayal said this incident raises concerns about the conditions at the facilities where immigrants are being held.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the 24/7 national suicide prevention hotline at 988 or go to 988lifeline.org.
