The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a Freedom of Information Act request on behalf of the family members of an Upper Darby resident who died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on Jan. 9.
The ACLU of Pennsylvania joined Parady La’s family members, Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, VietLead and Asian Americans United at a press conference Thursday in front of the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, where La was detained before he was transported to the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in critical condition.
“The La family and the public deserve answers and accountability, and the FOIA request is the first step in that process,” said Victoria Peña-Parr, a fellowship attorney at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “With these records, we will help uncover what is happening in detention centers and fight this inhumane war that is being waged on our neighbors, our loved ones and our community members, regardless of their immigration status.”
Elected officials, family members of Parady La, and supporters demanded answers surrounding La’s Jan. 9 death in ICE custody at a press conference on Feb. 5, 2026. (Emily Neil/WHYY)
The FOIA requests asks ICE and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to hand over records regarding La’s arrest and the medical attention he received while at FDC Philadelphia, as well as video footage of his treatment while detained.
“We are also seeking the policies and procedures to understand why facility staff would give Narcan to a person who is going through withdrawal when that is not the medical standard,” Peña-Parr said.
The deadline for a response is March 6, and March 20 if an extension is requested. If the FOIA request is denied, the ACLU of Pennsylvania plans to challenge in federal court, attorneys said.