A Death in Detention: The Tragic End of Parady La, a Cambodian Refugee in ICE Custody

Parady La, a 46-year-old Cambodian refugee who arrived in the United States as a child, died on January 9, 2026, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, after just three days in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).​

Chronology of Events

Arrested on January 6 outside his home in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, La was transferred to the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, where he was receiving treatment for severe opioid withdrawal. The following day, January 7, he was found unconscious in his cell; agents performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and administered several doses of Naloxone, an opioid antidote. Rushed to the hospital, his condition rapidly deteriorated, with anoxic brain injury, shock, multi-organ failure, and complete kidney failure, leading to the cessation of brain activity confirmed on January 8.

Personal Background and History

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand around 1980, Parady La fled the Khmer Rouge genocide and arrived in the United States in 1981 at the age of two, obtaining lawful permanent resident status the following year. That status was later revoked due to a criminal record spanning from 1994 to 2022, including a juvenile adjudication for simple assault at age 15, as well as convictions for theft, criminal conspiracy, drug possession, and assault. His family cites the murder of his younger brother in Philadelphia as the trigger for his drug addiction, describing him as a beloved surrogate father figure to his many nieces and nephews in the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia and Upper Darby.

Reactions from Family and Activists

La’s family strongly disputes the care he received, claiming he begged for help for 24 hours, vomiting without being given water or appropriate treatment for fentanyl withdrawal. His daughter Jazmine and his nephew Michael decry ICE’s lack of communication and question the use of Naloxone in a case of withdrawal rather than overdose. The Shut Down Detention campaign, which advocates for the closure of detention centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, denounces what it calls “brazen medical negligence” and an “avoidable” death, arguing that La should have been hospitalized much earlier. The organization notes that four deaths have occurred in immigration detention in Pennsylvania in just over two years.

The Broader Context of Deaths in Detention

This tragedy is part of a grim pattern: La is the fourth migrant to die in ICE custody within the first ten days of 2026, following three other cases—a Cuban national and two Hondurans—linked to cardiac issues or solitary confinement. The Trump administration, re-elected in 2024, has intensified detentions and curtailed humanitarian releases at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, which was reactivated last year, fueling criticism over health and safety conditions. ICE maintains that comprehensive and humane care is provided, but La’s family and advocacy groups are calling for a full and independent investigation.