“They Treated Him Like an Animal” Bulgarian Businessman Dies in U.S. Immigration Detention After 30 Years of Legal Residency and Tax Compliance
A Tragic Case of Institutional Neglect Sparks Outrage and Demands for Accountability
In a heartbreaking case that has ignited national and international concern, Nenko Ganchev, a 56-year-old Bulgarian national and longtime Chicago resident, has died while in custody at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Baldwin, Michigan. His death on December 15 has raised urgent questions about the treatment of long-term immigrants, the adequacy of medical care in detention centers, and the growing human cost of America’s immigration enforcement system.
Ganchev, a small business owner who had lived continuously in the United States for three decades, was reportedly swept up during a sudden ICE enforcement operation, what insiders describe as a “blitz raid.” Despite having paid taxes regularly, maintained steady employment, and built a life with his American wife and family, Ganchev was detained and classified by ICE as an “illegal migrant,” a label that many argue starkly contradicts the reality of his decades-long presence in the country.
His wife, a U.S. citizen who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, told reporters that her husband was a diabetic who struggled to receive proper nutrition or medical attention while in custody. In one of his final phone calls to family, Ganchev said he was not feeling well. According to accounts from fellow detainees, he repeatedly requested medical help—requests that appear to have gone unanswered until it was too late.
“They treated him like an animal,” his wife said, her voice breaking with grief and anger. “He was not a criminal. He was a man who worked hard, obeyed the law, and loved his family.”
Officially, ICE has attributed Ganchev’s death to “natural causes,” though no autopsy results or detailed medical report have been released to the public or even to his next of kin. This lack of transparency has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates alike. A Chicago-based congresswoman has demanded an “immediate and transparent investigation” into the circumstances surrounding his death, emphasizing the troubling pattern of preventable fatalities within ICE detention facilities.
Her office noted that Ganchev’s case is not isolated. As of December 2025, at least 30 people have died in ICE custody this year alone—making 2025 the deadliest year on record for individuals held under U.S. immigration detention. Many of these deaths, advocates say, stem from delayed or denied medical care, poor living conditions, and systemic failures that treat human beings as administrative burdens rather than individuals with dignity and rights.
Adding to the family’s pain is ICE’s public characterization of Ganchev as a “criminal.” Court records, however, tell a different story. While he had been arrested in the past by Chicago police, those encounters resulted only in minor traffic infractions—with no convictions for violent or serious offenses. To label him a threat, critics argue, is not only misleading but emblematic of a broader dehumanizing narrative used to justify harsh enforcement tactics.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal statement expressing “sincere condolences” to Ganchev’s family. It confirmed that the Consulate General in Chicago is actively assisting his relatives and remains in close contact with U.S. authorities. The ministry pledged to monitor the case closely to ensure the protection of the rights and interests of Bulgarian citizens abroad—a reassurance that offers little solace amid rising unease about how foreign nationals are treated in America’s immigration system.
For many in Chicago’s Bulgarian community—and for immigrant families nationwide—Ganchev’s death is more than a personal tragedy. It is a chilling reminder of how precarious legal status can unravel a life built over decades, and how easily bureaucracy can override humanity. As calls grow for reform, accountability, and justice, one question echoes louder than ever: How many more lives must be lost before the system changes?
In memory of Nenko Ganchev—a husband, a businessman, a taxpayer, and a man who called America home for 30 years—the demand is clear: transparency, compassion, and a reckoning with the true cost of America’s immigration enforcement machine.
