Victoria Arellano

Victoria Arellano (born Víctor Arellano; October 10, 1983 – July 20, 2007) was a Mexican illegal immigrant to the United States who died from complications of AIDS while in the custody of the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While officials from ICE have refused to comment on Arellano's death, advocates for legal and illegal immigrants, AIDS patients, and the LGBT community have decried the lack of provision of medical care as unjust and discriminatory.

Arellano was illegally brought from Mexico to the United States as a boy, when he was still known as Victor. He became a transwoman in high school, still biologically male but made to appear female.

After contracting HIV, he was prescribed bactrim, later switching to dapasone. Both medications were daily antibiotics. Three years prior to being detained, doctors at a Los Angeles free clinic described him as "asymptomatic". His condition began deteriorating in May 2007, when, after being detected entering the country illegally for the second time, he was detained at a facility in San Pedro, California, where he was denied his medication and medical attention.

Arellano was cared for by male and female inmates at the facility, who took turns taking him to the bathroom and brought him cool towels. He was transported to the infirmary on July 13, 2007 and prescribed amoxicillin. He was unable to keep the drugs down and began vomiting blood.

Eighty detainees protested the denial of treatment, chanting "Hospital" and ignoring an order to get in line for the night's head count. He was transported to a hospital in San Pedro, but was returned to the facility within twenty-four hours. Again, he was debilitated by vomiting and diarrhea, and again transported to the hospital, this time to the intensive care unit of Little Company of Mary Hospital in San Pedro. There he was handcuffed to his bunk and his door was guarded by two immigration agents. He died on July 20. After his death, he became a martyr for LGBT, illegal immigration, and healthcare rights activists.