Martin Vargas v. United States of America

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Allegations This case arises from the death of Martin Vargas Arellano, an immigration detainee who was in custody at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center (“Adelanto”) in Adelanto, California. Arellano’s son, Plaintiff Martin Vargas, brings this lawsuit as the asserted successor-in-interest of Arellano’s estate. In March 2021, Arellano died at the age of 55 due to complications from COVID-19. Arellano had been held in ICE custody from April 2019 until a few days prior to his death. In this lawsuit, Vargas seeks damages against the United States—the appropriate defendant under the Federal Tort Claims Act. See 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b).3 Vargas also sues Defendant GEO Group, which is a private prison corporation that operates Adelanto and receives substantial federal funding.4 GEO contracts with ICE to provide detention and medical services at Adelanto.5 The contract between GEO and ICE requires GEO to comply with ICE’s Performance Based National Detention Standards (the “PBNDS”).6 Vargas also sues Defendant Wellpath, LLC (formerly known as Correct Care Solutions), which is the medical provider at Adelanto.7 GEO has subcontracted the

1 Def.’s Mot. to…