Michigan Immigration Detention Center Death Sparks Questions Over Transparency and Conditions
A 56-year-old immigrant died this week at the North Lake Processing Center in northern Michigan, a facility that has raised concerns among advocates and lawmakers over transparency and conditions. Nenko Stanev Gantchev, a Bulgarian citizen, died on Monday at the center, which reopened in June as an immigration detention center after years of operating as a private prison.
The cause of death is still under investigation, but an ICE official stated that it was suspected to be due to natural causes. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, visited the facility on December 5 after receiving complaints from families and advocates about conditions inside the center. She had heard rumors of a tuberculosis outbreak and possible deaths but had not received confirmation from ICE at the time.
Tlaib expressed her concern over the death, stating that ICE should be able to respond quickly and address the fear that someone died under their care. "There was a lot of fear from family members," she told Metro Times. "ICE should be able to respond quickly and address the fear that somebody died under their care."
Kevin Hughes, health officer for District Health Department #10, which serves Lake County, confirmed that some detainees were tested for tuberculosis and isolated while awaiting results but said there was no indication of an outbreak.
The North Lake Processing Center is a privately owned facility operated by the GEO Group. Originally built in 1999, the prison has housed Michigan youth offenders, out-of-state prisoners, and non-citizen federal inmates before closing in 2022 when the federal government canceled contracts with private prisons.
Civil rights groups warned about the reopening months before detainees began arriving. "The re-opening of this massive detention center is a major threat to our immigrant friends and neighbors throughout Michigan and the Midwest," ACLU of Michigan Executive Director Loren Khogali said in June, citing GEO Group's "documented history of neglecting and abusing the people it detains and employs."
Tlaib echoed those concerns following her visit earlier this month, writing on X that oversight of ICE was "critical right now" and that more than 1,400 people were being detained at North Lake, including a teenager.
ICE has declined to respond to questions from Metro Times, including whether there have been any other deaths at the facility or whether any communicable disease outbreaks have occurred. The Department of Homeland Security responded to Tlaib's visit with a sharply worded statement attacking her and other lawmakers who conduct oversight of detention facilities, but omitted key facts about the Michigan residents detained by ICE.
Local health officials say their role is limited and that ICE is only required to notify them of certain conditions. "If the death was due to a reportable communicable disease, we would have been notified," Hughes said.
As of Thursday, ICE had not publicly released additional details about Gantchev's death or explained why Congress and local officials were notified days later, only after Tlaib sought answers.
A 56-year-old immigrant died this week at the North Lake Processing Center in northern Michigan, a facility that has raised concerns among advocates and lawmakers over transparency and conditions. Nenko Stanev Gantchev, a Bulgarian citizen, died on Monday at the center, which reopened in June as an immigration detention center after years of operating as a private prison.
The cause of death is still under investigation, but an ICE official stated that it was suspected to be due to natural causes. U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, visited the facility on December 5 after receiving complaints from families and advocates about conditions inside the center. She had heard rumors of a tuberculosis outbreak and possible deaths but had not received confirmation from ICE at the time.
Tlaib expressed her concern over the death, stating that ICE should be able to respond quickly and address the fear that someone died under their care. "There was a lot of fear from family members," she told Metro Times. "ICE should be able to respond quickly and address the fear that somebody died under their care."
Kevin Hughes, health officer for District Health Department #10, which serves Lake County, confirmed that some detainees were tested for tuberculosis and isolated while awaiting results but said there was no indication of an outbreak.
The North Lake Processing Center is a privately owned facility operated by the GEO Group. Originally built in 1999, the prison has housed Michigan youth offenders, out-of-state prisoners, and non-citizen federal inmates before closing in 2022 when the federal government canceled contracts with private prisons.
Civil rights groups warned about the reopening months before detainees began arriving. "The re-opening of this massive detention center is a major threat to our immigrant friends and neighbors throughout Michigan and the Midwest," ACLU of Michigan Executive Director Loren Khogali said in June, citing GEO Group's "documented history of neglecting and abusing the people it detains and employs."
Tlaib echoed those concerns following her visit earlier this month, writing on X that oversight of ICE was "critical right now" and that more than 1,400 people were being detained at North Lake, including a teenager.
ICE has declined to respond to questions from Metro Times, including whether there have been any other deaths at the facility or whether any communicable disease outbreaks have occurred. The Department of Homeland Security responded to Tlaib's visit with a sharply worded statement attacking her and other lawmakers who conduct oversight of detention facilities, but omitted key facts about the Michigan residents detained by ICE.
Local health officials say their role is limited and that ICE is only required to notify them of certain conditions. "If the death was due to a reportable communicable disease, we would have been notified," Hughes said.
As of Thursday, ICE had not publicly released additional details about Gantchev's death or explained why Congress and local officials were notified days later, only after Tlaib sought answers.
. I MEAN, A DEATH HAS OCCURRED AND YET THEY'RE STILL NOT GIVING US ANY DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OR HOW IT HAPPENED 
. IT'S LIKE THEY EXPECT US TO JUST TAKE THEM AT FACE VALUE AND TRUST THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE WHEN REALLY IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY 
. WE NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HEALTH REPORTS, THE SANITATION CONDITIONS, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT COULD HAVE LED TO THIS DEATH 
. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY 
.
i mean i get that there's gonna be some bad stuff goin down behind bars, but a whole investigation? come on. 
This is just so messed up. Like, what if there was a real outbreak instead of just rumors? ICE should be super transparent about what's going on in those facilities. It's not fair to the people who are locked up in there and their families who are worried sick 
.
. How can we trust that conditions are being met when info's scarce? The fact that a rep from DHS took shots at Rep Tlaib for doing her job speaks volumes 
. What about the 1,400+ ppl stuck in this facility? 
this is so messed up... the lack of transparency from ICE is seriously alarming 
... it's not okay to just turn a blind eye when someone dies in your care