SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a Chinese national in its custody died on Sept. 29.
According to an ICE press release, Huabing Xie, an undocumented migrant from the People's Republic of China, had a seizure and became unresponsive at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico at 2:13 p.m. that day. Staff then took him to the El Centro Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:15 p.m.
ICE says medical personnel at the detention center gave Xie CPR and used an AED on him before paramedics arrived. First responders continued life-saving efforts while taking Xie to the hospital.
Xie was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Tecate, California, on Dec. 31, 2023, and he was given a notice to appear before the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review and placed into removal proceedings, the release says. On the same day, he was released on an order of recognizance.
Border Patrol arrested Xie again on Sept. 12, 2025, in Indio, California, before he was transferred to ICE custody the next day.
Per ICE policy, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Chinese consulate have been notified about Xie's death.
"ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments," the press release says. "Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay."
