A congressional investigation has launched into a six-month payment processing failure that prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees from receiving critical medical care, following the death of a Chicago business owner who never received a recommended heart examination while in federal custody.
Chicago Businessman Dies During Payment Lapse
Nenko Gantchev died on December 15, 2025, while detained at the North Lake Processing Center in Michigan, one of the largest ICE facilities in the Midwest. Staff had detected abnormal cardiac readings and referred him for an echocardiogram weeks before his death, but his family says the procedure never took place. A medical examiner determined Gantchev died from a heart attack, with his type two diabetes listed as a contributing condition.
Representative Delia Ramirez, ranking member of the Veterans Affairs and Oversight committee, confirmed Gantchev’s death occurred during a critical payment processing failure. From October 2025 through May 2026, ICE lost its ability to process payments to physicians and pharmacies for offsite medical care for detained individuals. The congresswoman is demanding answers about how many people were denied necessary care during this period.
Emergency Declaration Went Unheeded
Government records reveal ICE officials themselves described the payment crisis as an absolute emergency, warning that lack of support would delay critical medical care for detainees. The payment processing gap occurred during a rapid nationwide increase in ICE detention numbers. Representative Ramirez, along with California Congressman Mark Takano, opened their investigation to determine whether ICE’s failure to pay bills caused medical providers to deny services to detainees.
The lawmakers are also seeking information about whether a backlog of unprocessed claims currently exists for people in ICE detention. Ramirez emphasized this situation extends far beyond one individual case, stating this has become the deadliest year in ICE detention in United States history.
Broader Implications for Detainee Care
The investigation raises fundamental questions about government accountability and the treatment of individuals in federal custody. While some detainees have since been deported or returned home after legal proceedings, the payment processing failure affected vulnerable people during a six-month period when they could not access necessary medical services. ICE has not provided answers to Gantchev’s family or Congress more than five months after his death, according to Representative Ramirez.
The North Lake Processing Center is operated by the for-profit GEO Group. This case highlights concerns about privatized detention facilities and whether adequate oversight exists to ensure constitutional standards of care are maintained for all individuals in federal custody, regardless of immigration status.
