China Demands Answers After Chinese Man Dies in US ICE Custody
Apnews · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
The Chinese government is demanding answers from the United States after 51-year-old Lianyong Wei died hours after being taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the Northern Mariana Islands. Wei, who was arrested on assault charges stemming from an alleged attack on a family of five, was found unresponsive during a routine morning check at a lockup in Saipan on August 23 and later pronounced dead at a hospital. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles has expressed serious concerns to U.S. authorities and called for a thorough investigation into the cause of death.
Key Points
- Lianyong Wei, 51, died August 23 at a hospital in the Northern Mariana Islands after being found unresponsive at a Saipan detention facility
- Wei was arrested August 21 by Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on charges of allegedly assaulting a family of five at their home
- He was transferred to ICE custody August 22 pending removal proceedings, having entered the U.S. territory in February 2019 with authorization to stay only two weeks
- Removal proceedings had begun in July 2026, with his next hearing scheduled for this month
- Wei is at least the fifth Chinese citizen to die in ICE or Border Patrol custody since March 2025, following two suicides and two medical complication deaths
Why It Matters
This death comes amid alarming statistics showing at least 57 ICE detainees have died since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 . ICE has not disclosed whether Wei received the mandatory medical intake screening within his first 12 hours in custody, raising questions about due process and detention standards. The incident has escalated diplomatic tensions as China seeks transparency and accountability from U.S. authorities over the treatment of Chinese nationals in American detention facilities.
This death comes amid alarming statistics showing at least 57 ICE detainees have died since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025 . ICE has not disclosed whether Wei received the mandatory medical intake screening within his first 12 hours in custody, raising questions about due process and detention standards. The incident has escalated diplomatic tensions as China seeks transparency and accountability from U.S. authorities over the treatment of Chinese nationals in American detention facilities.