Maksym Chernyak

August 27, 1980 / February 20, 2025

Maksym Chernyak was a Ukrainian Refugee who was granted legal status in the United States in June 2024, he then immigrated to the country in August. On January 26, 2025 he was arrested in Ft. Lauderdale on domestic violence charges stemming from an incident which his longtime partner says was a misunderstanding exacerbated by a language barrier. He was detained at Broward County Jail in Ft. Lauderdale, and later released into ICE custody at Krome Service and Processing Center.

In his intake exam onFebruary 3, 2025 Chernyak appeared to be healthy, but did have slightly elevated blood pressure.

Early in the morning on February 18, 2025 he began experiencing seizures and an RN reported seeing him vomiting blood and shaking. Over the course of the day his condition continued to decline despite staff’s efforts to help. At 3:00 PM he was placed on a brain death protocol, in the following days his condition continued to deteriorate and on February 20, 2025 he was pronounced deceased.

Links:

https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddrMaksymChernyak.pdf

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ukrainian-national-ice-custody-passes-away-miami-area-hospital

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/04/ice-2025-deaths-timeline