The Chinese government is demanding answers from U.S. authorities following the death of a Chinese national, Lianyong Wei, 51, hours after he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Northern Mariana Islands. Wei died on August 23 at a hospital in the U.S. territory.
According to ICE, Wei was arrested on August 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on charges related to an alleged assault. He was placed in ICE custody the following day pending removal proceedings. ICE stated that a guard discovered Wei unresponsive during routine checks on August 23. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead after life-sustaining interventions were initiated. The agency has indicated that the cause of death is under investigation.
Wei had entered the U.S. territory in February 2019 and was authorized to remain for two weeks. U.S. authorities initiated removal proceedings in July 2026, with Wei's next hearing scheduled for August.
The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles confirmed it had been notified of Wei's death. In a statement, the consulate expressed "serious concerns to the relevant U.S. authorities over this incident and required a timely and thorough investigation into the cause of Mr. Wei’s death, notification of the findings, measures to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents, and assistance to the family of the deceased in handling the aftermath."
Wei is reportedly the fifth Chinese national to die in the custody of ICE or the U.S. Border Patrol since March 2025, according to data tracked by The Associated Press. Two of the previous deaths were ruled suicides, and the other two were attributed to medical complications. Since January 2025, at least 57 ICE detainees have died.
It remains unclear if Wei received a medical intake screening, which ICE states it provides to detainees within their first 12 hours in custody. Medical experts emphasize the critical role of such screenings in preventing detainee deaths. The time taken for ICE to acknowledge Wei's death, which was announced by local authorities on August 24, is also being questioned, as the agency typically aims to issue news releases on detainee deaths within two business days.
The detention facility in Saipan, where Wei was held, has averaged 18 ICE detainees daily this year. The Northern Mariana Islands has a population of approximately 50,000.
Following the incident, the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety stated that it is "reviewing relevant procedures and will implement any necessary corrective actions to strengthen prevention and response measures."