Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Lorth Sim was found unresponsive in his cell on Monday, Feb. 16.

MIAMI COUNTY, Ind. — A 59-year-old man died while in ICE custody at the Miami Correctional Facility on Monday, according to a press release Wednesday.

In the press release, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Lorth Sim, of Cambodia, was found unresponsive in his cell on Feb. 16. After lifesaving efforts by facility staff and EMS, Sim was pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m. 

ICE says his cause of death is under investigation. 

“ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments,” the press release read, in part. “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.”

According to the ICE press release, Sim reportedly entered the United States in 1983 and became a lawful permanent resident in 1986. However, ICE says he was arrested for disorderly conduct in 1989, indecent exposure in 1996 and larceny in 2005. He was arrested by ICE in 2006 and was ordered to be deported to Cambodia. 

ICE reportedly arrested Sim on Dec. 30, 2025, after he arrived at the ICE office lobby in Boston. ICE says Sim was transferred from ICE Boston custody to ICE Chicago custody on Jan. 5, 2026.

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement:

“I have spoken to officials at the Department of Correction and urged them to conduct a thorough investigation of the death of this detainee. We need to ensure that our procedures and medical contractors are up to the task of appropriately caring for people in ICE custody.

Public trust in ICE is near zero. Since the state of Indiana has decided to allow ICE to use our facilities, it is incumbent on us to ensure that the conditions in that facility are up to standard. Over the last few months, I have visited Miami Correctional Facility three times to see for myself that detainees are receiving proper treatment. I will continue to monitor this situation until we have a full public report of what happened to this detainee and receive proper assurance there was no systemic failure that could cost another person their life.”