China demands investigation after Chinese national dies in ICE custody

The Chinese government is demanding answers from U.S. authorities following the death of Lianyong Wei, a 51-year-old Chinese national who died shortly after being taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Wei was arrested on August 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on criminal charges related to an alleged assault. He was transferred to ICE custody the following day pending removal proceedings. On August 23, a guard discovered Wei unresponsive during routine checks in Saipan. Despite being taken to a hospital emergency room, he was pronounced dead after life-sustaining interventions were initiated. ICE stated that the cause of death is currently under investigation.

The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles issued a statement expressing “serious concerns” and called for a “timely and thorough investigation,” as well as measures to prevent similar incidents. This incident marks at least the fifth death of a Chinese national in ICE or U.S. Border Patrol custody since March 2025.