Trending Now - Man's Toothache Leads to Fatal Infection in ICE Detention

WHO:

Emmanuel Damas, a 56-year-old Haitian asylum seeker

Presly Nelson, Damas's brother

Christine Ellis, Chandler City Council member and registered nurse

Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey

Rep. Ayanna Pressley

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

CoreCivic, a for-profit corrections company

WHAT:

Emmanuel Damas died on March 2, 2026, at a hospital in Arizona after suffering from an untreated tooth infection.

Damas reported severe tooth pain in mid-February 2026.

He was taken into ICE custody in September 2025 in Boston and transferred to the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona.

Damas was hospitalized on February 19, 2026, and was placed on life support in intensive care with pneumonia the following day.

He underwent surgery on February 26, 2026, but died shortly after.

At least nine people have died in ICE custody in 2026, including Damas.

Massachusetts lawmakers demanded an investigation into Damas's death, stating it was "highly preventable."

WHERE:

Florence Correctional Center, Arizona

Boston, Massachusetts

Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona

WHEN:

Damas was taken into ICE custody in September 2025.

He reported tooth pain in mid-February 2026.

He was hospitalized on February 19, 2026.

Damas died on March 2, 2026.

Massachusetts lawmakers wrote a letter demanding answers on March 6, 2026.

WHY:

Damas's death was attributed to a lack of timely medical attention for his toothache, which escalated into a severe infection and pneumonia.

HOW:

Damas was not sent to a dentist despite reporting his toothache.

He was transferred to a hospital after his condition worsened, but he was returned to the detention center before ultimately being hospitalized again.

Emmanuel Damas, a 56-year-old Haitian asylum seeker, died on March 2, 2026, in a Scottsdale, Arizona hospital after suffering from an untreated tooth infection that escalated into pneumonia. Damas had reported severe tooth pain in mid-February while in ICE custody, but despite his complaints, he was not sent to a dentist and was returned to the detention center after initially being hospitalized. Following his death, Massachusetts lawmakers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, demanded an investigation, calling the situation "highly preventable," as at least nine people have died in ICE custody this year.