May 1, 2026Lumpkin, GA, United StatesDetainee Death Notifications

Cuban illegal alien, arrested for domestic violence, dies in ICE custody at Georgia detention center

LUMPKIN, Ga. — Denny Adan Gonzalez, a 33-year-old illegal alien from Cuba, arrested for assault on a female and domestic violence, died April 28 at the Stewart Detention Center while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. The suspected cause of death is suicide, but the official cause remains under investigation.

CoreCivic staff found Gonzalez unresponsive in his cell at about 10:25 p.m. Emergency personnel responded immediately, using a cutdown tool and beginning CPR. Webster County Emergency Medical Services arrived and continued resuscitation efforts. Gonzalez was pronounced dead at 11:11 p.m.

Gonzalez first entered the United States near the Hidalgo, Texas, port of entry in May 2019. U.S. Customs and Border Protection apprehended him and determined he was inadmissible. After a credible fear determination by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Gonzalez was issued a Notice to Appear and ordered removed to Cuba by an immigration judge in December 2019. He was removed in January 2020 but later re-entered the United States unlawfully and was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, in April 2022. Gonzalez was released under an order of supervision and reported to ICE in Charlotte, N.C., until September 2025.

On Dec. 12, 2025, Gonzalez was arrested by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office in Charlotte for assault on a female and domestic violence. ICE lodged an immigration detainer, and Gonzalez was transferred to ICE custody at Stewart Detention Center in January 2026, where he was receiving full due process.

ICE provides medical, dental and mental health screenings within 12 hours of arrival at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. Emergency care is never denied to any detainee.

Consistent with ICE policy, Enforcement and Removal Operations notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the DHS Office of Inspector General, and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility via the Integrity Coordination Center. ERO also notified the Cuban Embassy in accordance with international and domestic laws, as well as his next of kin or other designated contact.

ICE makes official notifications to Congress, nongovernmental organization stakeholders and the media upon official reports of in-custody alien deaths and posts news releases with relevant details on ICE's public website. You may access this information in ICE.gov’s Newsroom. Congressional requirements described in the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018 require ICE to publicize all reports regarding in-custody deaths within 90 days. You may access these reports on ICE.gov’s Detainee Death Reporting page.

ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay. 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 noncitizen denied emergency care.

Updated: 05/01/2026