China · AI Safety · Donald Trump · Fortune Technology
China demands answers after a man dies hours after entering ICE custody—the fifth Chinese national to die in U.S. immigration
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The Chinese government is pressing for answers after a Chinese man died hours after being taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a U.S. territory.
Key facts
- Lianyong Wei, 51, died Aug. 23 at a hospital in the Northern Mariana Islands, ICE announced in a news release Tuesday
- At least 57 ICE detainees have died since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, a death rate that has alarmed public health experts, advocates for immigrants and the Mexican
- Wei was arrested Aug. 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on criminal charges stemming from an alleged assault on a family of five at their home, according to ICE
- Wei is at least the fifth Chinese national who has died in the custody of ICE or the U.S. Border Patrol since March 2025, according to tracking by The Associated Press
Summary
Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a U.S. territory. Lianyong Wei, 51, died Aug. 23 at a hospital in the Northern Mariana Islands, ICE announced in a news release Tuesday. Wei was arrested Aug. 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on criminal charges stemming from an alleged assault on a family of five at their home, according to ICE. ICE said a guard at the lockup in Saipan found Wei unresponsive during routine morning checks on Aug. 23. Wei entered the U.S. territory in February 2019 and was authorized to stay for two weeks, according to ICE.