Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Leads Letter Calling for Transparent Investigation Into Death of Marie Blaise
Washington D.C. ─ Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Co-Chair of the Haiti Caucus, led the Florida Democratic congressional delegation in a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The letter calls for a transparent investigation into the death of Marie Blaise. Blaise, a 44-year-old Haitian immigrant, died at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Pompano Beach.
“According to ICE’s own statement, Ms. Blaise was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m. by medical staff. Prior to her death, she had been moved through at least three different ICE facilities in a span of just over two months—from initial apprehension in the U.S. Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, then to Richwood Correctional Center in Louisiana, and finally to the Broward Transitional Center,” the Members wrote.
“The federal government holds a solemn responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals in its custody, including those detained by ICE. The circumstances of Ms. Blaise’s death raise serious questions about the quality of medical care provided during her detention, as well as the toll such frequent transfers may have taken on her physical and mental health,” the Members continued.
The letter calls for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to:
- Conduct a transparent investigation into the death of Marie Ange Blaise, including a review of her medical records, detention conditions, and the decision-making process behind her multiple transfers.
- Publicly release the findings of this investigation in a timely manner.
- Assess systemic issues in the treatment of detainees — particularly those who are medically vulnerable or in transit across multiple facilities.
- Initiate a comprehensive audit of safety and medical protocols at the Broward Transitional Center.
- Release to Congress the identity of the official(s) responsible for each decision to transfer Marie Ange Blaise between facilities, and all associated rationales.
As reported in The Miami Herald, Blaise had been complaining about chest pains and her blood pressure measured with a top number of 156. She was later provided pills and sent to lie down before she was pronounced dead by ICE.
Additional signatories of the letter include Reps. Wilson (D-FL), Wasserman Schultz, (D-FL), Soto (D-FL), Frankel (D-FL), Frost (D-FL), Castor (D-FL), and Moskowitz (D-FL).
The full text of the letter can be found here.