January Arrest of 19-Year-Old Leads to Death in ICE Custody
Body camera footage obtained by Scripps News documents the January arrest of Royer Perez-Jimenez, a 19-year-old immigrant who died two months later in ICE custody. The arrest began with a pedestrian violation. ICE classified his death as a "presumed suicide."
The footage shows an officer signaling to Perez-Jimenez as he rode a scooter down a Florida road. Perez-Jimenez continued riding. Another officer caught up and tackled him to the ground. When told to put his hands behind his back, Perez-Jimenez said he did not speak English. He spoke Tzotzil, a Mayan language spoken in Chiapas, Mexico.
Officers had stopped him after observing him cross the street twice, intending to cite him for a pedestrian violation. They searched his belongings and reported finding nothing stolen or suspicious. Officers located a translator and asked why he had fled. Perez-Jimenez stated he was afraid.
Arrest and ICE Notification
Police charged Perez-Jimenez with resisting an officer without violence and giving false identification, both misdemeanors. Police then notified ICE of the arrest.
In Florida, many law enforcement agencies have agreements that facilitate cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Once ICE receives notification of an arrest, the agency determines whether to issue a detainer request or take custody. ICE stated that Perez-Jimenez had been living in the U.S. without authorization and took him into custody.
ICE held Perez-Jimenez at the Glades County Detention Center, operated by the sheriff's office. He remained there from late January until March 16, when an ICE officer found him unconscious and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
ICE Statement on Death
ICE classified the death as a "presumed suicide" in its public statement. ICE stated that the cause of death remains under investigation. Scripps News was denied a copy of the autopsy report because the case remains open.
An autopsy in another recent ICE custody death determined that a Cuban immigrant died of homicide due to asphyxia.
Language Access
Perez-Jimenez spoke Tzotzil, an indigenous Mayan language spoken primarily in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. The police body camera footage shows officers locating a translator for the initial arrest. No information has been released about what language access Perez-Jimenez had during his six weeks in ICE detention.
Indigenous language speakers represent a portion of immigration detainees. Detention facilities often lack interpreters for languages beyond Spanish.
Deaths in ICE Custody
Between 2020 and 2025, ICE reported 47 deaths in detention facilities. Independent monitors have stated the actual number may be higher due to deaths occurring shortly after release or transfer.
The Glades County Detention Center is one of hundreds of facilities nationwide that contract with ICE to house immigration detainees. These facilities range from purpose-built immigration detention centers to county jails that dedicate sections to ICE contracts. Oversight and monitoring protocols vary by facility.
Scripps News requested comment from the Glades County Sheriff's Office about monitoring protocols for ICE detainees but had not received a response by publication. ICE declined to answer questions about language access policies for indigenous language speakers in custody.
Investigation Status
The body camera footage ends with Perez-Jimenez in police custody in January. Records regarding the following six weeks have not been released publicly. ICE has not released information about where Perez-Jimenez was held immediately after arrest, when he was transferred to Glades County, or observations staff made about his condition during detention.
The investigation into his death has no public timeline for completion. ICE investigations into custody deaths can take months or years. The agency is not required to release findings publicly.
Perez-Jimenez's family has not made public statements. It is unclear whether they have accessed information about his death or the investigation's progress.
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