A 56-year-old man who died at an immigration detention center in Texas had been a longtime lawful permanent resident, relatives and federal authorities said.
Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a Dallas resident originally from Mexico, died Saturday after being found unresponsive in his bed at the Rio Grande Processing Center in Laredo, where rescue efforts were unsuccessful.
"The cause of death is unknown," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement Tuesday. "An autopsy will determine the official cause of death."
Andrade-Covarrubias, who was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents in June, had a litany of health issues, including diabetes, hypertension and anxiety but received proper medical care while in custody, federal officials said.
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Andrade-Covarrubias had been returning to the United States from Mexico on June 26 when he was stopped at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, where federal agents determined that he obtained his status through "fraudulent means" by failing to disclose a prior arrest during the review process.
"He was processed and transferred to ICE custody pending removal proceedings before an immigration judge," Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said. "He was receiving due process."
Andrade-Covarrubias had been arrested for theft of property in July 2004, federal officials said.
Andrade-Covarrubias' daughter, Estefani Andrade, told the Texas Tribune that her father had cited his criminal record during the application process and received an approved green card application. He was also denied medications for his health conditions, she said.
"They would just ignore him," Andrade told the outlet about the staff at the facility, which is operated by a private company.
Andrade, who could not be reached for comment early Wednesday, said her father had lived in Dallas for decades and raised three children. He worked as a painter and planned to return to Mexico, where he was building a house, the Texas Tribune reported.
Federal immigration authorities said all detainees are held in "safe, secure and humane" environments.
"Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay," DHS officials said in a statement. "All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental, and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arriving at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained alien denied emergency care."
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An online fundraiser for Andrade-Covarrubias had eclipsed $7,000 as of early Wednesday.
"We believe he did not receive the medical attention he desperately needed," the site reads. "His passing has left our family devastated, heartbroken, and struggling to come to terms with such an unexpected loss."
Andrade-Covarrubias deserved to be treated with "dignity, compassion and care," according to the tribute written by his daughter.
"My father was more than just a name," Andrade wrote. "He was a father, a loved one, and someone whose life meant so much to our family."
Texas Representative Henry Cuellar said he inspected the detention facility on Sunday, a day after Andrade-Covarrubias' death, and asked staff about medical procedures, but he said he did not receive details because the matter remained under investigation.
"Any death in federal custody is a serious matter, and the family of Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias deserves answers," Cuellar said Monday in a statement.
Cuellar, a Democrat who represents Laredo, said he submitted seven questions to ICE regarding the medical care provided to Andrade-Covarrubias, as well as the procedures followed prior to his death.
"I am awaiting a response and will continue following up until we have a clear understanding of what happened," Cuellar said.
Seven detainees have died while in ICE custody in Texas this year, the Texas Tribune reported. The January death of Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old who was held at Camp East Montana in El Paso, was ruled a homicide by the El Paso Medical Examiner.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Dave Siminoff.