Van Hollen warns of retaliation against wife of Laurel man who died in ICE custody

Sen. Chris Van Hollen is demanding an independent investigation of a Laurel man’s death in ICE custody and warned of an “apparent attempt to retaliate” against the man’s wife after speaking to the media.

In a letter sent Thursday to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Van Hollen requested records detailing Julián Curo-Churata’s medical treatment, surveillance footage from the Louisiana detention facility where he was held and a timeline of events leading up to his death. He gave the agencies until Nov. 16 to respond.

The senator also questioned why the Department of Homeland Security sent Curo-Churata’s wife, Verónica Ramírez, a notice indicating the government’s intent to deport her. The notice came three days after Ramírez spoke to The Washington Post about her husband’s death, according to the letter.

“DHS has already taken one parent away from their children permanently,” Van Hollen said in the letter. “And now, in their time of grief, threatens to deport the other.”

Curo-Churata, who is originally from Peru, lived with his family in Laurel for about 17 years before ICE agents detained him in June and transferred him to the Richwood Correctional Center, a privately run facility in Monroe, Louisiana.

The 47-year-old volunteered to leave the country on his own, but a judge denied the request on Sept. 18, according to ICE. He died Sep. 29, after being taken to a nearby hospital. A friend described him to The Banner as a “hardworking” and “honorable” man who enjoyed playing soccer and volleyball.

At least 57 people have died in ICE custody during the second Trump administration, through Aug. 23, according to the agency. That total does not include Curo-Churata, nor the three people who died in ICE custody after his death.

An attorney for Curo-Churata’s family, Max Schoening, told The Banner that hospital records list his cause of death as cardiac arrest due to septic shock. He previously said that Curo-Churata’s requests for medical attention had gone ignored. The guards who accompanied Curo-Churata to the hospital told medical staff he had been unresponsive throughout the day, according to Schoening.

ICE did not respond to questions about the circumstances surrounding Curo-Churata’s death, but in a press release the agency said he received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals while in custody.

Schoening is also raising questions about the timeline of Curo-Churata’s hospitalization. ICE reported that he was transported to the hospital at 8:14 p.m., while hospital records show he arrived at 10:26 p.m., Schoening told The Banner. The hospital is about a seven-minute drive away from the detention facility.

Van Hollen is also seeking records showing when detention staff first became aware of Curo-Churata’s medical condition, what steps they took to address it and why they chose to transport him to the hospital rather than call an ambulance. He also is asking them to explain the circumstances surrounding the notice sent to Ramírez and who decided to issue her the notice.

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