Key Takeaways
• Brayan Rayo-Garzon died in Phelps County Jail while in ICE custody on April 8, 2025.
• ICE plans to spend $45 billion expanding detention, targeting rural jails, including contracts in at least 10 states.
• As of May 16, 2025, ICE has 571 formal 287(g) agreements with local law enforcement across 40 states.
The recent death of Brayan Rayo-Garzon, a Colombian national, at the Phelps County Jail in Missouri, has brought new attention to immigrant detention in the United States 🇺🇸. This incident comes at a time when rural Missouri jails, like Phelps County Jail, are hoping to sign new agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hold people in ICE custody. It has led to many conversations about the safety and treatment of immigrants in detention, the role of local jails in immigration enforcement, and the continued expansion of ICE detention facilities across the country.
The Case of Brayan Rayo-Garzon: What Happened?
On April 8, 2025, Brayan Rayo-Garzon was found unresponsive at Phelps County Jail, located in Rolla, Missouri. He later died while in ICE custody. Rayo-Garzon’s story began when he entered the United States 🇺🇸 without permission in November 2023. After some time, in June 2024, an immigration judge ordered that he should be removed, or deported, from the United States 🇺🇸. However, before that removal could happen, he was arrested by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department on charges of credit card fraud. Following this local arrest, ICE took custody of him on March 25, 2025.
When Rayo-Garzon died at Phelps County Jail, ICE followed its standard procedure by alerting the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility, and Rayo-Garzon’s family.
This event is especially important because rural Missouri jails, including Phelps County Jail, are seeking ICE contracts, despite questions about safety and care in these facilities.
ICE’s Push to Expand Detention: A National Trend
Over the past few years, ICE has been working on expanding its detention system. The agency plans to spend around $45 billion on new contracts, which cover not only holding and moving detainees, but also providing things like food and healthcare services. This expansion is not limited to large cities or border states. In fact, ICE is looking to open or grow facilities in at least 10 states, many of which are in the Midwest or on the West Coast, as shown in documents made public by an ACLU lawsuit.
Some specific facilities mentioned include:
- North Lake Correctional Center in Baldwin, Michigan
- Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth, Kansas
The Leavenworth site, in particular, has a long story. It was closed in 2021 after reports of violence, crime, and poor conditions. The company that owns the facility, CoreCivic, has wanted to reopen it as an ICE detention center. However, the city filed a lawsuit to stop this from happening until CoreCivic follows all city rules for permits.
This situation in Leavenworth shows how local places can play a big role in immigration detention, and how people in these areas sometimes push back against having ICE detention centers in their communities.
Local Jails and ICE: Working Together Through Agreements
ICE does not only use its own facilities. Many immigrants in ICE custody are actually held in local jails and prisons. ICE pays these facilities to hold detainees. This partnership is often formalized through what are called “287(g) agreements.” These are legal papers where ICE gives some immigration enforcement powers to state and local law enforcement officers.
As of May 16, 2025, ICE has signed 571 of these agreements, covering 40 states. The American Immigration Council, which follows these issues closely, reports that as of December 2024, 287(g) agreements were in place with 135 local or state law enforcement agencies in 21 states.
The way these agreements work on the ground can be very different from place to place. Some areas, such as Polk County in Iowa, have contracts with the Department of Justice so that they house people arrested by ICE. Other departments, like Sioux City Police Department, currently have no formal agreements with ICE. This patchwork approach means that immigrants can have very different experiences depending on where they are arrested.
These partnerships have major effects on local communities, law enforcement, and immigrants themselves, especially when it comes to questions of safety, civil rights, and local resources. Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that these agreements make the U.S. immigration system complex and sometimes confusing for those affected.
The Human Cost: Deaths and Conditions in Detention
The death of Brayan Rayo-Garzon is not an isolated case. Deaths during ICE custody have raised alarms for many years. For example, in the fiscal year 2020, there were 17 deaths in ICE custody, the highest number since 2006, when 19 immigrants died in detention.
Most of these deaths did not happen in official ICE centers, but in facilities run by private companies or local governments. Since ICE pays these outside groups for bed space, many detainees are moved around to make room for people who are accused or convicted of crimes. This can mean frequent transfers, which may add stress for detainees and make their situations less stable.
Advocates have said that relying so much on private contractors or local jails can lead to problems with care and safety. While ICE says that all detainees are kept in “safe, secure and humane environments” and that everyone gets complete medical care from the time they arrive, the repeated reports of deaths and poor conditions lead to further examination of the system.
ICE’s Response and Official Protocols
ICE has a protocol for when something tragic happens in its custody. After the death of Brayan Rayo-Garzon, ICE immediately informed the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility. They also made sure to notify Rayo-Garzon’s next of kin.
According to ICE, the agency takes safety seriously and keeps watch over conditions to make sure detainees are treated well. However, background information about detention deaths and reports from watchdog groups call into question whether all facilities meet these standards.
For people interested in how ICE manages its agreements with local law enforcement, you can find official details at the ICE 287(g) program page.
Local and National Impact: What It Means for Rural Missouri and Beyond
The death at Phelps County Jail has put a focus on the decisions rural jails make about seeking ICE contracts. For county jails in areas like Missouri, signing these contracts can mean more money for local budgets because ICE pays for bed space and certain services. But these deals come with a cost. There are big questions about whether smaller, rural jails have the resources to offer fair, safe, and humane treatment to people in their care.
Communities are now weighing the local economic benefits against the national conversation about immigrant rights and the risks that may come from holding people in ICE custody in facilities like Phelps County Jail.
Moreover, the fact that ICE is moving forward with plans to grow its detention capacity nationwide, including in small towns and rural areas, means situations like the one at Phelps County Jail could become more common. Debates are ongoing in many localities. For example, in Leavenworth, Kansas, the city’s efforts to stop a new facility from opening highlight the tensions between business interests, local politics, and community concerns about safety and justice.
Who Is Affected? Immigrants, Local Governments, and Communities
Every decision about building a new ICE facility or signing a new contract touches many people:
- Immigrants and Their Families: People like Brayan Rayo-Garzon, as well as thousands of others, risk facing poor conditions, frequent moves, or even death in detention. Their families are left with many questions—and, in some situations, heartbreaking losses.
- Local Governments and Jails: County jails in places like Missouri may see government contracts as much-needed sources of money, but they also take on new responsibilities and risks.
- Communities: Local communities can feel divided. Some support ICE contracts for economic reasons, while others worry about transparency, the safety of detainees, and the image of their communities.
- National Watchdogs and Advocacy Groups: Organizations like the ACLU and others continue to track deaths, lawsuits, and changes in national policy.
Past and Ongoing Debates: Is Change Coming?
Deaths in ICE custody—including that of Brayan Rayo-Garzon at Phelps County Jail—have sparked many calls for change. Suggestions offered by advocates over the years include:
- Reducing use of private and local jails for immigrant detention
- Creating stricter rules about conditions and health care
- Offering more oversight and transparency, so families and the public know what is happening inside these jails
But with ICE still signing new contracts and expanding facilities, many of these suggestions have not become reality. Efforts like the city of Leavenworth’s lawsuit show that local actions can slow down or block expansion, but they do not fully address the broader system’s problems.
Looking Forward: What Could Happen Next?
What happens next will depend on government decisions, community actions, and national debates about immigration. Some possible outcomes include:
- More ICE Contracts in Rural Jails: As ICE continues to grow, rural jails like Phelps County Jail may get more involved in holding people in ICE custody.
- Continued Concerns About Safety: The pattern of deaths and reports of poor conditions may continue to bring public attention and criticism.
- Shifts in Local Policy: Some areas might end their agreements with ICE if public pressure grows, while others could see new contracts if budgets demand it.
- Increased Moves and Transfers: As ICE continues to depend on many different jails and contractors, detainees may be moved around even more.
Even as ICE states that safety and health are priorities, the death of Rayo-Garzon reminds everyone of what is at stake. This includes not only immigrants but also their families, local governments, and the people living in those communities.
Where to Find More Information
For those wanting to learn more about ICE’s contracts, detention centers, and how local jails are involved, the official ICE 287(g) program page has detailed information. This resource covers which local law enforcement agencies are currently signed up with ICE, what responsibilities they have, and how these programs operate.
Conclusion: What the Rayo-Garzon Case Means for Immigration Policy
The case of Brayan Rayo-Garzon at Phelps County Jail is a powerful reminder of the real human impact of complex immigration laws and local government decisions. As ICE continues to expand and more rural jails seek contracts, questions about the safety of immigrant detainees and transparency in detention practices will only become more important.
People looking to understand or follow these stories can find up-to-date analysis and reporting through trusted sources like VisaVerge.com, where the focus remains on clear, factual accounts of how changes in immigration policy affect people nationwide.
What happens in rural Missouri does not only stay there—it reflects broader questions about how the United States 🇺🇸 chooses to treat immigrants, uses its resources, and balances community needs. Ultimately, incidents like the death of Brayan Rayo-Garzon push the conversation about fairness, safety, and responsibility in immigration to the forefront for everyone involved.
Learn Today
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → A U.S. government agency responsible for immigration enforcement and detaining undocumented immigrants nationwide.
287(g) agreements → Legal partnerships allowing local police to enforce certain federal immigration laws on behalf of ICE.
CoreCivic → A private company that operates correctional and detention facilities, sometimes housing ICE detainees under government contracts.
Inspector General → An independent official tasked with investigating and overseeing federal agencies for compliance, safety, and ethical standards.
Bed space → The number of available spots or accommodations for detainees within immigration or correctional facilities.
This Article in a Nutshell
Brayan Rayo-Garzon’s death in Phelps County Jail highlights the growing use of rural jails for ICE detention. As ICE expands contracts nationwide, concerns over detainee safety and poor facility conditions rise. Local economies benefit from these agreements, but advocates emphasize urgent need for greater oversight and humane immigration practices.
— By VisaVerge.com
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