U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Tuesday that Marie Ange Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian woman, died in federal custody at the in Pompano Beach.
Blaise was pronounced dead on Friday night and the cause of death is under investigation, said .
Blaise, who ICE says entered the U.S. illegally, was detained on February 12, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended her at the Henry E. Rohlsen International Airport in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, while she was attempting to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina.
That same day, CBP officials issued her a 鈥淣otice of Expedited Removal鈥� for attempting to enter the country without a valid immigrant visa. She was moved Feb. 14 to San Juan, Puerto Rico, before being transferred to other detention centers. She eventually was sent to the Broward Transitional Center on April 5.
ICE officials on Tuesday said it notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security鈥檚 Office of Inspector General, the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Consulate of Haiti in Miami about Blaise鈥檚 death. The agency says it will release a full report on Blaise鈥檚 death within 90 days.
鈥淚CE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments,鈥� said ICE officials in reporting Blaise鈥檚 death. 鈥淐omprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.鈥�
Since late January, ICE has reported two other deaths of detainees in federal custody in South Florida.
, 29, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, died Jan. 23. The other undocumented immigrant was , 44, of Ukraine, who died Feb. 20. Both had been hospitalized after being housed at the Krome Detention Center in south Miami-Dade.
