SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Emanuel Cleeford Damas, a criminal illegal alien from Haiti facing assault and battery charges, died in ICE custody on March 2, 2026, at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center. The 34-year-old detainee became unresponsive at 1:12 p.m. and was pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts by medical staff.
Damas was arrested by Boston Police Department on September 14, 2025, for assault and battery and taken into ICE custody the following day at Nashua Street Jail. Federal authorities transferred him to ICE detention under the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for individuals with pending immigration cases who pose public safety risks.
Medical records show Damas initially received a standard screening upon detention with no serious new medical issues detected, though he continued receiving prescriptions for a preexisting condition. ICE transferred him to Florence Detention Center in Arizona on September 26, 2025, pending his immigration hearing. An Immigration Judge ordered his removal on January 6, 2026.
Damas filed an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals on January 27, but mandatory detention requirements under the Laken Riley Act kept him in custody while the appeal was pending. His condition deteriorated on February 19 when he reported shortness of breath and was sent to Florence Anthem Hospital for treatment.
Doctors at John C. Lincoln Medical Center in Phoenix admitted Damas to the Intensive Care Unit, where he remained intubated on a ventilator at 50% oxygen. Over the following days, medical staff conducted multiple tests including heart ultrasounds and blood work, with results showing elevated ammonia, liver function tests, and white blood cell counts. Hospital staff notified Damas’ next of kin on February 21.
Medical personnel diagnosed septic shock due to pneumonia and transferred Damas to Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center on February 25 for higher-level care. Doctors placed chest tubes and performed thoracentesis to remove fluid around his lungs. Despite surgical interventions including a scheduled video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, Damas’ condition never improved. His family was permitted to visit on February 28, arriving at the hospital the following day before his death on March 2.
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