Marie Angie Blaise, a Haitian immigrant, died on Friday, April 25, 2025, while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Broward Transitional Center, a detention facility for migrants located in Deerfield Beach, Broward County, Florida. She was 44 years old.
According to information reported by the Miami Herald, the exact cause of her death has not yet been determined. An investigation is currently underway, according to the Miami Herald. An inmate at the same facility told the newspaper that Ms. Blaise had complained of chest pains on Friday. After experiencing high blood pressure (156), she was reportedly given medication and asked to rest. Shortly afterward, she reportedly cried out in pain, clutching her chest, before losing consciousness. She was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m., according to the Florida newspaper.
This tragic death has sparked outrage among several immigrant rights organizations.
Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, expressed her deep sadness and denounced a situation symptomatic of the systemic mistreatment of migrants, particularly Haitians. “This death is the consequence of cruel and inhumane policies,” she declared, calling for full transparency regarding the circumstances of Ms. Blaise’s death.
According to the Miami Herald, Ms. Blaise had been arrested by U.S. Customs agents at St. Croix Airport, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, while attempting to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, without a valid visa. She was subsequently transferred to San Juan (Puerto Rico), Oakdale (Louisiana), and then to the Broward center, where she remained from April 5 onward.
Marie Blaise’s case also highlights a broader issue: the increasing arrest of people from U.S. territories such as the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, who are often treated as undocumented immigrants even though they are moving within the country.
Ms. Jozef points out that “many people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or other forms of legal protection are unjustifiably detained even though they are not crossing a foreign border.” She emphasizes the lack of understanding among some immigration officials in dealing with these situations.
The death comes at a time when the treatment of Haitian migrants in detention is drawing increasing attention. Also according to the Miami Herald, another case that recently received media coverage was that of Dr. Delange Augustin, a 31-year-old Haitian doctor who has been detained since March at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Center in Georgia. He was apprehended after suffering a psychotic episode on board a flight from Atlanta to Miami. His sister denounces a total lack of appropriate care for his mental health condition.
In a press release, ICE claims that medical, dental, and psychiatric care is available from the moment individuals arrive at detention centers, with 24-hour medical staffing. The agency asserts that detainees are never denied emergency care.
However, in light of these assurances, the families of the victims and human rights advocates are demanding accountability. Marie Blaise’s death, along with the many cases of contested detentions, is fueling growing concern about the treatment of Black migrants, particularly those from Haiti.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House over three months ago, numerous cases of inhumane treatment in ICE detention centers have been reported by lawyers and immigrant rights organizations.
The U.S. president, who hails from the far-right MAGA movement, pays little attention to these criticisms. He remains focused on the deportation of over 11 million undocumented immigrants. He had made the case of Haitians one of his top priorities since the election campaign.
