June 27, 2025 — On May 5, 2025, Abelardo Avellaneda Delgado, a 68-year-old Mexican-born man, became the first ICE detainee in over a decade to die during transport from a local jail to a federal detention center in Georgia.
His death has sparked urgent questions about the safety and oversight of immigration detention, particularly as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration enforcement with a goal of 3,000 daily arrests.
This incident underscores the growing strain on a detention system described by experts as a “ticking time bomb” due to overcrowding, inadequate oversight, and reliance on private transportation companies.
Avellaneda Delgado’s death occurred during transit to the Stewart Detention Center, a privately operated facility in Lumpkin, Georgia, managed by CoreCivic with a capacity of nearly 2,000 detainees.
According to reports, the van transporting him stopped in Weston, Georgia, after the driver called 911.
Webster County Coroner Steven D. Hubbard was summoned to the scene, but details surrounding the cause of death remain unclear, with conflicting accounts raising concerns about transparency.
Mexico’s foreign ministry noted that consular staff were not notified to interview Avellaneda Delgado while he was in custody, despite regular visits to the facility.
Amilcar Valencia, executive director of El Refugio, a Georgia-based organization supporting detainees, described the detention system as dangerously overloaded.
“The system is so loaded with people, exacerbating bad conditions – it’s like a ticking time bomb,” Valencia told The Guardian.
This sentiment echoes broader concerns about the treatment of detainees amid the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies.
A Surge in Detentions Strains the System
The death comes at a time when ICE is holding a record 59,000 detainees nationwide, a figure that exceeds the previous peak of 55,000 in 2019 and operates at over 140% of the 41,500 detainee beds allocated by Congress.
Internal data show ICE averaged 1,200 daily arrests in June 2025, nearly double the 660 daily average during the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term, though still below the administration’s target of 3,000 daily arrests.
This surge has overwhelmed facilities like Stewart Detention Center, where the average daily detainee population reached 1,828 by June 9, 2025.
Former detainees, such as Ximena Arias-Cristobal, have reported dire conditions, including overcrowding, lack of nutritious food, and inadequate hygiene, describing the facility as a “warehouse” for human beings.
The increasing reliance on private companies for detainee transport has drawn sharp criticism.
Companies like CoreCivic’s TransCor and Geo Group’s transportation subsidiary operate with minimal oversight, a shift noted by Katherine Culliton-González, chief policy counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
TransCor’s president, Curtiss D. Sullivan, described 2025 as a time for growth, signaling an expansion of their transport operations amid the administration’s deportation push.
Critics argue that this privatization exacerbates risks, with experts warning of more deaths if oversight and conditions do not improve.
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A Pattern of Tragedy at Stewart Detention Center
Avellaneda Delgado’s death is not an isolated incident at Stewart.
On June 7, 2025, Jesus Molina-Veya, another detainee, died by apparent suicide, marking the 13th death at the facility since 2006 and the third confirmed suicide.
Advocacy groups, including Detention Watch Network and El Refugio, have long documented issues at the facility, citing medical neglect, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate mental health care.
These groups are calling for the closure of Stewart, arguing that its conditions are inhumane and unsustainable.
The death of Avellaneda Delgado has amplified calls for transparency and reform.
Posts on X reflect public outrage, with users labeling the situation a “ticking time bomb” and criticizing the lack of accountability in ICE’s operations.
The incident also highlights the broader impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, which have expanded detention criteria to include not only criminals but also non-criminal immigrants, reversing previous restrictions.
As ICE detentions reach historic highs, the risks to detainees’ health and safety are mounting.
Advocates and experts urge immediate action to address overcrowding, improve oversight of private contractors, and ensure humane treatment.
Without significant reforms, they warn, more tragedies like Avellaneda Delgado’s are likely to occur.
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