1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to investigate the death of Nenko Gantchev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian man who died on December 15, 2025, while detained at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, Michigan. Mr. Gantchev had been in ICE custody since at least October 22, 2025, after being arrested in Chicago. Reports from other detainees indicate he requested medical assistance but did not receive it in time. ICE claims he died of natural causes, but the circumstances demand thorough investigation. This death marks the 30th in ICE custody in 2025, making it the deadliest year since 2005. By comparison, only 11 people died in immigration detention in 2024. This alarming increase coincides with record detention numbers of 65,735 people nationwide and the opening of North Lake in June 2025 with 1,800 beds under escalated enforcement policies. Representative Rashida Tlaib conducted an oversight visit to North Lake on December 5, 2025, just ten days before Mr. Gantchev's death. She documented cold temperatures, inadequate food, unsanitary facilities, difficulty accessing medical care, and multiple suicide attempts. These conditions are particularly troubling given that 87% of those held at North Lake do not have criminal convictions. A July 2025 federal policy denying bond to more immigrants has kept people detained indefinitely, though a federal judge in California ruled this no-bond policy illegal in late November 2025. North Lake is operated by private prison firm GEO Group, raising concerns about profit motives overriding humane treatment. ICE has not publicly reported Mr. Gantchev's death despite agency policy requiring news releases within two business days of detainee deaths. I urge you to demand a transparent investigation into Mr. Gantchev's death, conduct immediate oversight of conditions at North Lake, and push for accountability measures to prevent further deaths. People in immigration detention deserve basic medical care and humane treatment regardless of their legal status.