FARMVILLE – A 33-year-old El Salvadoran national in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) passed away Sunday afternoon at the University of Virginia (UVA) Medical Center in Charlottesville, states a Monday press release issued by ICE.

On Sept. 27, he was “turned over to ICE following an arrest by Virginia State Police. He was detained at the Farmville Detention Center while going through removal proceedings,” the press release states.

Early Saturday morning, he was “discovered unconscious by facility staff and was immediately transported via ambulance to Southside Community Hospital in Farmville. The hospital airlifted him to the UVA Medical Center where he was diagnosed with liver failure,” the ICE press release states.

“The family and the El Salvadoran consulate were notified of (his) medical condition. His family was with him at the hospital until he passed away on Oct. 2.

“Consistent with ICE protocol, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been informed. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death,” the press release states.

He is “the first detainee to pass away in ICE custody in fiscal year 2012,” the press release states.

According to Town of Farmville officials, there are approximately 500 ICE immigration detainees at the Farmville detention facility, which employs 250 people.

Farmville Town Manager Gerald Spates has said expansion is going to add another wing to the facility, with the project being developed in two phases that will ultimately see the detainee population rise to 1,200 and approximately 100 additional jobs created.

The Town is paid a dollar per day per detainee and June and July have seen the Town receive more than $15,000, with August adding $13,527.