ICE detainees’ deaths raise questions about news coverage of Asian communities

Indy’s press is missing key voices

(This column is part of the Indianapolis Public Editor project, a pilot program designed to test whether the presence of a public editor who analyzes local coverage can elevate audience trust in journalism and promote media literacy.)

Despite the recent deaths of two Asian American immigrants in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the correctional facility in Bunker Hill, voices from Indianapolis’ Asian community have been missing from news coverage.

In fact, it’s easier to find a restaurant review of the city’s Asian cuisine than it is to know what’s going on in that community, based on local coverage.

On April 1, Tuan Van Bui, 55, was the 48th person to die in ICE custody during the current administration. He was the second person to die at Indiana’s immigration detention center, the Miami Correctional Facility, which ICE has been using since October 2025. A detainee originally from Cambodia, Lorth Sim, 59, died in custody on Feb. 16 of cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications. Bui’s death is still under investigation.