Lorth Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian national and convicted felon, died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on February 16 at Miami Correctional Facility in Miami County, Indiana. According to ICE, staff found Sim unresponsive in his cell and he was pronounced dead at 7:10 a.m., despite efforts by facility personnel and emergency medical services. The cause of death is currently under investigation.
Sim had previously been arrested for disorderly conduct in 1989, indecent exposure in 1996, and larceny in 2005. He received suspended sentences and probation for these offenses but did not serve prison time. In 2006, ICE arrested him after an immigration judge ordered his removal to Cambodia. On December 30, 2025, ICE officers encountered Sim at their Boston office lobby and informed him that he would be detained pursuant to a warrant of removal. He was transferred from ICE Boston to ICE Chicago custody on January 5, 2026. Sim first entered the United States as a refugee in 1983 and became a lawful permanent resident three years later.
As per agency policy, ICE has notified the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Cambodian consulate regarding Sim's death.
ICE also provides official notifications about deaths in custody to Congress, nongovernmental organizations, stakeholders, and the media through its public website. The agency posts details about such incidents online as required by congressional mandates outlined in the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018. These regulations require that all reports related to deaths occurring while in custody are made public within ninety days.
The agency states it is committed to maintaining safe conditions for those held in detention facilities. Medical care is provided upon arrival and continues throughout an individual's stay; this includes initial health screenings within twelve hours of arrival at each facility and comprehensive assessments within fourteen days. Detainees have access to medical appointments as well as around-the-clock emergency care.
