Vietnamese man living in Albuquerque dies months after being taken into ICE custody

A Vietnamese refugee who spent time in a California prison and most recently lived in Albuquerque died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody earlier this month.

Nhon Ngoc Nguyen, 55, died of natural causes April 16 at the Long Term Acute Care Hospital in El Paso, according to a release from ICE.

The release said that, from Feb. 26 until his death, Nguyen bounced between the El Paso Processing Center, an immigration detention center, and hospital “for treatment due to altered mental status, assistance to ambulate and assistance with his activities of daily living.”

The agency said during that time, ICE tried to contact Nguyen’s family to care for him “to no avail,” according to the release.

On Thursday, May Day rallygoers in Tiguex Park in Old Town brought attention to Nguyen’s death, with some attendees carrying his photo during the rally bringing attention to immigrant rights.

Tin Nguyen, an attorney for Nguyen, said the family — who lives in Dallas — didn’t know where he was from mid-February until late March, when ICE told them he was ready to be released but needed 24/7 medical care.

The attorney said an autopsy found Nhon Nguyen died of acute pneumonia, with dementia as a secondary cause. Tin Nguyen said the family believes there was “some negligence” on the part of ICE.

“We don’t know the details of what happened in his last days at the hospital,” he said. “I think there are a lot of questions that need to be answered in how ICE treats people who are sick.”

In the release, officials said ICE “remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments.”

“Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay,” according to the release. “... At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”

The release states Nhon Nguyen came to the U.S. and was granted legal status in 1983 as part of the Refugee Act of 1980. In 1991, he was convicted of murder in California and sentenced to 15 years, with the crime violating the terms of his U.S. residency.

ICE took custody of Nguyen in 2013 after his release on parole, and he was jailed until an immigration judge ordered his deportation, according to the release.

“However, Vietnam denied issuing a travel document,” the release states, and ICE issued Nguyen an Order of Supervision, and released him from custody.

From there, ICE granted Nguyen’s request to move to Dallas, where his family lives, before he moved to Albuquerque in 2018, according to the release. Seven years later, on Feb. 24, ICE arrested Nguyen “with the significant likelihood of removal in the reasonably foreseeable future to Vietnam.”

The release states two days after being placed in the El Paso Processing Center, Nguyen was taken to the hospital until March 13, when he was brought back to the detention center. After a few more trips back and forth from the facility to the hospital, Nguyen was taken for the last time to the hospital on April 7.

“Consistent with ICE protocols, the appropriate components were notified about the death, including the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility,” according to the release. “Additionally, ICE notified the next of kin.”