A Chinese immigrant who previously lived in Flushing, Queens, died at an immigration detention center in central Pennsylvania, near State College, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Chaofeng Ge, 32, was found hanging in the shower on Tuesday morning at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg, ICE said in a statement. Ge had been in ICE custody for five days and was awaiting an immigration court hearing, according to ICE. The cause of death is under investigation, ICE said.
Ge was arrested in January for attempting to buy gift cards with credit cards that didn’t belong to him at a CVS Pharmacy in Paxtonia, Pa., according to the Lower Paxton Township police department. The local FOX43 news station reported at the time of his arrest that he was a resident of Flushing, Queens.
Ge pleaded guilty to the charges in late July and was sentenced to six to 12 months for each count, according to ICE. Ge was sent to Dauphin County Prison, where ICE lodged an immigration detainer, a request for police to hold him to be transferred into ICE custody.
Per ICE policy, the agency said it notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Inspector General, the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Chinese Embassy.
“ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay,” ICE officials said in a press release.
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