The government of China has demanded answers from America after a Chinese man reportedly died hours after the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taken him taken into custody. The 51-year-old deceased identified as Lianyong Wei died on August 23 at a hospital in the Northern Mariana Islands. According to ICE, Wei was arrested on Aug. 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on criminal charges. The accusation against Wei stemmed from an alleged assault on a family of five at their home. ICE claimed that a guard at the lockup in Saipan discovered Wei being unresponsive during routine morning checks on Aug. 23. Later, he was rushed to a hospital emergency room, pronouncing dead after "life-sustaining interventions were initiated," the agency said, adding that the cause of his death is under probe. Wei arrived in the US in February 2019 on a two-week authorized stay. Removal proceedings against him stated in July 2026, with his next hearing set for this month. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles confirmed it had been informed of his death. "We have expressed serious concerns to the relevant U.S. authorities over this incident and required a timely and thorough investigation into the cause of Wei's death, notification of the findings, measures to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents, and assistance to the family of the deceased in handling the aftermath," the consulate said in a statement.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stuffed-into-socks-and-shoes-chinese-man-charged-for-trying-to-smuggle-163-australian-snakes-and-lizards-1788502167543">Stuffed into socks and shoes: Chinese man charged for trying to smuggle 163 Australian snakes and lizards</a><h3>Death of fifth Chinese national</h3>Wei is at least the fifth Chinese national to die in ICE or Border Patrol custody since March 2025. Of the previous four deaths, two were ruled suicides and two resulted from medical complications, according to Associated Press. Since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, at least 57 ICE detainees have died, raising alarms to public health experts of increasing death rate. It remains unclear whether Wei received the medical intake screening, which the ICE says it provides detainees within their first 12 hours in custody; medical experts consider such screening essential to preventing deaths. It's also unclear why ICE took more than a week to confirm Wei's death, which authorities in the Northern Mariana Islands had already announced on August 24, despite the agency's stated goal of releasing detainee-death information within two business days. The Saipan facility has held an average of 18 ICE detainees per day this year, in a territory with a population of roughly 50,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since US President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, at least 57 ICE detainees have died, raising alarms to public health experts of increasing death rate. 

The government of China has demanded answers from America after a Chinese man reportedly died hours after the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) taken him taken into custody. The 51-year-old deceased identified as Lianyong Wei died on August 23 at a hospital in the Northern Mariana Islands. According to ICE, Wei was arrested on Aug. 21 by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Public Safety on criminal charges. The accusation against Wei stemmed from an alleged assault on a family of five at their home. ICE claimed that a guard at the lockup in Saipan discovered Wei being unresponsive during routine morning checks on Aug. 23. Later, he was rushed to a hospital emergency room, pronouncing dead after "life-sustaining interventions were initiated," the agency said, adding that the cause of his death is under probe. Wei arrived in the US in February 2019 on a two-week authorized stay. Removal proceedings against him stated in July 2026, with his next hearing set for this month. The Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles confirmed it had been informed of his death. "We have expressed serious concerns to the relevant U.S. authorities over this incident and required a timely and thorough investigation into the cause of Wei's death, notification of the findings, measures to prevent any recurrence of similar incidents, and assistance to the family of the deceased in handling the aftermath," the consulate said in a statement. Also read: Stuffed into socks and shoes: Chinese man charged for trying to smuggle 163 Australian snakes and lizards Death of fifth Chinese national Wei is at least the fifth Chinese national to die in ICE or Border Patrol custody since March 2025. Of the previous four deaths, two were ruled suicides and two resulted from medical complications, according to Associated Press. Since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, at least 57 ICE detainees have died, raising alarms to public health experts of increasing death rate. It remains unclear whether Wei received the medical intake screening, which the ICE says it provides detainees within their first 12 hours in custody; medical experts consider such screening essential to preventing deaths. It's also unclear why ICE took more than a week to confirm Wei's death, which authorities in the Northern Mariana Islands had already announced on August 24, despite the agency's stated goal of releasing detainee-death information within two business days. The Saipan facility has held an average of 18 ICE detainees per day this year, in a territory with a population of roughly 50,000.

Since US President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, at least 57 ICE detainees have died, raising alarms to public health experts of increasing death rate.&nbsp;

Chinese national dies in ICE custody hours after arrest, Beijing demands answers from US

Omar Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, has been dropped from the tournament after being denied entry into the United States. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was turned away at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey. No official reason has been provided by US immigration authorities for his repatriation. Notably, Somalia is among several nations on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration. A senior adviser to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the denial to the BBC, stating that Artan had been travelling on valid documents.<h2>What did FIFA say about Somali ref's deportation form US?</h2>The deportation comes even as Artan was issued a diplomatic passport - A Somali embassy official in Nairobi told the BBC that Artan had even been issued a diplomatic passport specifically to ease his travel, following earlier visa difficulties, underscoring the deliberate nature of the exclusion.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-world-cup-2026-iran-team-told-to-enter-leave-us-on-match-days-under-strict-rule-1780804865166">FIFA 2026: Iran team told to enter &amp; leave US on match days under strict rule</a>FIFA confirmed Artan's exclusion in an official statement, saying that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan "will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States."The governing body distanced itself from the decision, noting it "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," and acknowledged that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's status would not be reversed.FIFA added that, in line with its position at previous tournaments, "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."On the US side, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service. "While I can't go into the derog on that. I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."<h2>US ICE's role at World Cup in focus again</h2>The Artan episode has renewed the debate about the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 World Cup. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that ICE would be present at the tournament, saying agents were not there to enforce "mass immigration" but to "enforce the law," and that anyone deemed a criminal would be arrested.The Artan incident comes after an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-iraq-forward-held-for-seven-hours-by-us-authorities-here-s-what-we-know-1780802263358">Iraqi player was detained for seven hours</a> at Chicago airport while the team's official photographer was denied the entry.

FIFA confirmed Artan's exclusion in an official statement, saying that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan "will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States."The governing body distanced itself from the decision, noting it "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," and acknowledged that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's status would not be reversed.FIFA added that, in line with its position at previous tournaments, "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country."On the US side, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service. "While I can't go into the derog on that. I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision."<h2>US ICE's role at World Cup in focus again</h2>The Artan episode has renewed the debate about the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 World Cup. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that ICE would be present at the tournament, saying agents were not there to enforce "mass immigration" but to "enforce the law," and that anyone deemed a criminal would be arrested.The Artan incident comes after an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-2026-iraq-forward-held-for-seven-hours-by-us-authorities-here-s-what-we-know-1780802263358">Iraqi player was detained for seven hours</a> at Chicago airport while the team's official photographer was denied the entry.

Somali referee Omar Artan, set to be the first from his nation at a World Cup, was denied US entry and dropped from the tournament. The White House backed the decision, offering no explanation.

Omar Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a FIFA World Cup, has been dropped from the tournament after being denied entry into the United States. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was turned away at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey. No official reason has been provided by US immigration authorities for his repatriation. Notably, Somalia is among several nations on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration. A senior adviser to Somalia's Ministry of Youth and Sports confirmed the denial to the BBC, stating that Artan had been travelling on valid documents. What did FIFA say about Somali ref's deportation form US? The deportation comes even as Artan was issued a diplomatic passport - A Somali embassy official in Nairobi told the BBC that Artan had even been issued a diplomatic passport specifically to ease his travel, following earlier visa difficulties, underscoring the deliberate nature of the exclusion. Also Read - FIFA 2026: Iran team told to enter & leave US on match days under strict rule FIFA confirmed Artan's exclusion in an official statement, saying that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan "will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States." The governing body distanced itself from the decision, noting it "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications," and acknowledged that it had been informed by authorities that Artan's status would not be reversed. FIFA added that, in line with its position at previous tournaments, "a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country." On the US side, Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House Task Force on the World Cup, told BBC World Service. "While I can't go into the derog on that. I can tell you it was the right decision by customs and border patrol and I support that decision." US ICE's role at World Cup in focus again The Artan episode has renewed the debate about the role of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the 2026 World Cup. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that ICE would be present at the tournament, saying agents were not there to enforce "mass immigration" but to "enforce the law," and that anyone deemed a criminal would be arrested. The Artan incident comes after an Iraqi player was detained for seven hours at Chicago airport while the team's official photographer was denied the entry.

Somali referee Omar Artan, set to be the first from his nation at a World Cup, was denied US entry and dropped from the tournament. The White House backed the decision, offering no explanation.

FIFA 2026 | Somali referee Artan dropped from World Cup official list after US denies entry

us-ice

Us Ice, News on Us Ice, stories on Us Ice, articles on Us Ice, Us Ice stories at Wion, Us Ice news, Us Ice latest news

us ice

Chinese national dies in ICE custody hours after arrest, Beijing demands answers from US

FIFA 2026 | Somali referee dropped from WC official list after US denies entry