Court filing: Family of man detained by ICE in Texas worry he's not getting care he needs
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A newly filed federal petition is raising concerns about the treatment and medical condition of Adrian Sotelo Guzman, a 27-year-old man who was arrested in Minnesota and later transferred to a facility in Texas.
According to the petition filed in the Western District of Texas, Sotelo Guzman was experiencing a severe mental health crisis when federal agents arrested him in St. Paul in February. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed him as experiencing “psychosis secondary to Bipolar Disorder” and sought to have him civilly committed for treatment.
While he was still under a court-ordered hospital hold, attorneys say Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removed him from the hospital and transferred him out of state.
The petition alleges that his condition has not improved since that transfer.
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“On information and belief, as of the date of filing this Petition, Mr. Sotelo Guzman’s mental state has not improved at all since he was removed from the hospital in Minnesota,” reads the petition. “It is unclear to his family and counsel what, if any, treatment he is receiving.”
The lack of access has made it difficult for both family members and legal counsel to assess his condition. According to the petition, “His family and counsel are unable to visit him, and he is functionally unable to have meaningful conversations over the phone.”
The filing further alleges that ICE removed Sotelo Guzman from the hospital “against medical advice” and transported him to Texas despite ongoing court proceedings in Minnesota related to his mental health care.
Sotelo Guzman, first came to the United States as a child and previously held DACA status. He is now being held at a behavioral health facility in El Paso, according to the petition.
His attorneys are asking a federal court to order his release from immigration custody or require the government to justify his detention and ensure he receives proper medical treatment.
The case comes amid broader scrutiny of immigration enforcement practices in Minnesota, where the arrest took place during a large-scale operation the White House has called “Operation Metro Surge.”
