With marked feelings of sadness and indignation members of the Long Island community are pronounced and requested justice after the death of a Honduran immigrant who was detained in custody of the Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE) in the Nassau County prison is known.
Santos Edilberto Banegas Reyes, 42, a construction worker and father of two daughters, was arrested last Wednesday, September 17 by ICE agents in Hempstead, when he was heading to his work, and was then held in the Nassau Correctional Center located in East Meadow.
Within this place, Banegas Reyes died 18 hours later for reasons that are a reason for investigation, according to official reports. On the morning of Thursday, September 18, at approximately 6:30 am., He was found unconscious in his cell, and subsequently declared dead by medical professionals at Nassau County Correctional Center, authorities said.
Given this fateful situation, the family of Banegas Reyes still expects for answers that clarify the circumstances of his death. According to a report issued by ICE, only on Tuesday, September 23, the preliminary cause (of death) “seems to be a complicated liver insufficiency for alcoholism.” This cold and simplistic explanation is considered absurd by the relatives of the Central American immigrant.
“My brother was a very cheerful person, happy, he was a friend, loved by everyone, I don’t know why this happened,” Santos Banegas Reyes’s sister expresses in tears, who with her death leaves her 10 -year -old girl who lived with him in Long Island and her 19 -year -old daughter who is devastated in Honduras.
«If he was in their hands (ICE), they had to attend him if he needed a medical emergency … Why did they let him die? There must be an explanation what happened? ”The sister told the univision channel cameras, in a news that has left the immigrant community dismayed and worried. “I want justice, to clarify how his death was, what they did with him, that just when they stop him if my brother was fine,” he emphasizes the press.
In their mourning, several local organizations and defenders who made a felt vigil to claim justice are joined. Likewise, both the New York Attorney General, Letitia James, and the State Corrections Commission are reviewing this death, as required by law. And the Sheriff of Nassau, who supervises the jail, has declared that a local investigation is being carried out, Newsday reported.
«What happened to Santos should never happen to anyone. This family should not be going through this pain right now, ”said Osman Canales, a renowned community activist who personally helped the family identify the body of the deceased in Nassau’s morgue.
In the midst of this great pain, a peaceful demonstration held on Monday, September 22 on the outskirts of the County Mat (100 Carman Ave, East Meadow) brought together dozens of people who protested the continuous arrests of ICE and asked to stop using this prison to apply the tough anti -migration policy of Republican President Trump.
“This is the abuse that ICE is doing against our community … separating families, taking innocent workers from our communities … We want to stop the separations of families and ask the Nassau County that also eliminates the contract she has made with immigration,” exclaimed channels to the media, thus joining the collective complaint of immigrants who suffer fear of persecution and operations in Long Island.
End the agreements 287 (g)
It is worth mentioning that the Nassau County Government has contracts to lease Cells to ICE, and the County Executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman, signed 287 (G) agreements with ICE in February 2025. This delegates to the Local Police Department (NCPD) and the Sheriff’s Office the application of federal immigration laws and arrests.
«A death in the Nassau prison is a tragedy that demands answers. Bruce Blakeman has turned our prison into a political experiment by putting his political allies in command instead of focusing on security and accountability, ”said legislator Seth Koslow about the death of Santos Banegas Reyes while being detained in ICE custody.
“I request a legislative hearing to guarantee transparency, responsibility and justice for all residents, including anyone in our prisons,” said the Democratic official.
«No human being should die in a immigration detention center. The policies that demonize our immigrant neighbors have dire consequences, and we regret this loss, just as we regret all people who die prematurely, ”said Murad Awawdeh, president and executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC).
“We must point out that Nassau County actively participates in the federal government anti -immigrant agenda through the use of agreements 287 (G), and the County chose to imprison this human being instead of guaranteeing the public safety and well -being of all local residents.”
«No municipal government or New York County should use local resources to implement the Federal Government’s mass deportation agenda, just like anyone should die in custody. It is time for Nassau County, and all local governments of the state of New York, cancel their 287 (g), ”he argues.
It also indicates that there are 7 New York state counties who have contracts with ICE to retain detained immigrants: Allegany, Broome, Clinton, Montgomery, Nassau, Niagara and Orange. And there are 10 agreements 287 (g) in force between the ICE and the local agencies of the public order in 6 counties at the state level: Broome, Madison, Nassau, Niagara, Rensselaer and Steuben.
Donation to bury him in Honduras
The family of the deceased immigrant Santos Edilberto Banegas Reyes goes to his friends, loved ones and the community in search of support in this painful moment. They are raising funds to cover the funeral expenses and be able to move the body of Santos to Honduras, their homeland, where you can rest in peace.
If you want to donate enter the link in https://gofund.me/639556a3f . Any donation, regardless of the amount, will be of great help and will provide comfort to your daughters and loved ones. “Thank you very much from your heart for your generosity, prayers and support,” says the family. So far more than 16 thousand dollars have been raised.
