At approximately 3:55 a.m. on August 12, San Bernardino police responded to an incident at a railroad crossing where 21-year-old Samuel was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a San Bernardino County coroner’s release. In a letter written before his death, Samuel expressed distress over his mother’s detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating that her removal felt like hitting “one last wall.”

Samuel’s mother, Terrones, had been detained by ICE after federal agents stopped her, reportedly on suspicion of being a person of interest, according to a federal court petition filed to secure her release. Terrones, who has lived in the United States for 33 years with no prior arrests or removal proceedings, was taken into custody despite a federal judge’s prior ruling against mandatory detention for individuals in her circumstances. The court order, issued Sept. 3 by U.S. District Judge Brianna Fuller Mircheff, declared Terrones’ detention unlawful and mandated her release. However, she remains in deportation proceedings.

Family members described Samuel as a kind and caring individual who struggled with mental health issues beginning during his freshman year at Cajon High School in 2021. He found support in his siblings, with whom he shared activities such as video games and church visits, and in his father, who occasionally took him to work on landscaping jobs. Samuel’s sister, Sari, said his mental health deteriorated after their mother’s detention. She recalled his profound grief on the day Terrones was taken, saying she had never seen him cry like that before.

Following Terrones’ detention, Sari began working extra hours to support the family, frequently visiting her mother at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center despite the financial and emotional toll. Visits that started with hopeful anticipation often ended in tears for the siblings. The family also faced difficulties affording legal representation amid the mounting expenses.

Legal representatives for Terrones reported notifying ICE of Samuel’s death and requested her emergency release on humanitarian grounds. ICE’s response included a rare expression of condolence, though the family criticized the agency’s treatment as lacking compassion prior to the tragedy.

Sari delayed informing her mother of Samuel’s passing to avoid compromising her court hearing. The announcement was made during a brief 10-minute visitation where physical contact was restricted by ICE officers despite Terrones’ distress.

Immigrant advocates note that deaths linked to mental health struggles among detainees and families affected by immigration enforcement have been reported in recent years. Since 2017, at least 10 detainees have died by suicide while in ICE custody, a rate higher than expected given the population increase. Additionally, advocates highlight other cases such as a 20-year-old Haitian man who took his own life after his Temporary Protected Status was terminated and ICE fitted him with an ankle monitor.

Terrones’ legal counsel criticized the government’s position that she should remain detained until eligible for a bond hearing after six months, a stance the federal judge described as “beyond cruel.”

Following Samuel’s death, the family organized a fundraiser to help cover funeral costs. On September 22, about three dozen relatives and friends gathered at Rialto Park Cemetery to lay Samuel to rest, each holding a white rose in his memory.

Terrones, now without the support of her son, faces ongoing deportation proceedings. Her daughter Sari has indicated she may pursue military service, a path that could provide immigration benefits to their family.

The case underscores the complex and often tragic human consequences of immigration enforcement policies and the challenges faced by families caught in detention and removal proceedings.