A 57-year-old Indian-American man entered the United States illegally in June 2023 and died in an Atlanta hospital after being arrested. Jaspal Singh is detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and proceedings are underway to deport him to India.

An autopsy is underway to determine the exact cause of Singh’s death.

Jaspal Singh, 57, died April 15 at the Southeastern Georgia Health System’s St. Mary’s Camden campus, federal authorities said.

ICE has notified the Indian Consulate in New York and Singh’s family of the incident.

Singer entered the United States legally in 1992 and had been in legal trouble with his immigration status for years.

In January 1998, an immigration judge ordered Singer deported from the United States and self-deported Singer to India on an unknown date, according to an ICE news release.

In 2023, he was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers for trying to illegally re-enter through the U.S.-Mexico border.

Border Patrol transferred Singer’s custody to Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Atlanta.

He was detained at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Folkston, where he continues his immigration proceedings.

That’s where Singh died, and an autopsy will be needed to determine the exact cause of death.

In response to this incident, ICE emphasized its commitment to providing adequate medical care to all detainees.

“We provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an individual arrives and throughout their stay. This includes medical, dental and mental health screenings upon arrival, as well as medical appointments and emergency care,” ICE’s press release said.

ICE notified the Indian consulate in New York of Singh’s death. ERO Atlanta staff have notified next of kin, the release said.

When a detained noncitizen dies, ERO provides formal notification to Congress, NGOs, and the media within two days and issues a press release online in accordance with agency rules.

Additionally, under a 2018 law, ICE must share all reports of deaths in custody within 90 days.