Dying in ICE custody: Inside one family’s story of heartbreak

'A major failure'A round-faced man with dark-rimmed glasses, a moustache and short-trimmed hair, Ismael came to the US when he was only five years old.Southern California became his home, and as an adult, he qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which offered temporary protection against deportation.He lost his DACA status, however, in 2015 after a conviction for driving under the influence.His family remembers him as a caring son and uncle, always willing to buy his niece and nephew new clothes or school supplies.“Ismael was always looking after his siblings. He just had a big heart,” said his brother, Jose Miguel Ayala. “He was very protective of not just us, but my mum and dad too.”He was 39 years old when he was brought to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.Two weeks after his arrival, Ismael told his family that he developed a high fever and a painful sore on his backside.On September 18, 2025, workers at Adelanto initiated a Code Blue alert for Ismael, signalling a life-threatening medical emergency. Medical staff rushed him from his dorm to the infirmary in a wheelchair.ICE documents show that Ismael was given pain medication, an ointment...