An analysis by Reuters news agency found that the death rate in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers had more than doubled under U.S President Donald Trump’s second term, reaching about one death for every 1,630 people based on preliminary data through early June. The previous rate during the period between 2009 and 2024 was one death annually for every 3,848 detainees, based on the facility’s average daily population.
Reuters received the numbers from the Deportation Data Project through a public records request.
Experts in detention deaths, who reviewed ICE records and autopsies for the outlet, said the statistics raised concerns over the quality of supervision and medical care in detention centers.
The population in detention centers boomed under Trump, reaching as high as 70,000 in January during the infamous Minneapolis crackdown before falling back to 57,000 in early June.
A total of 50 people have died in U.S immigration detention facilities since Trump launched his mass deportation campaign in January 2025, according to ICE records.
As per the records, 21 of 50 deaths were discovered after the detainee was deceased or unresponsive. These cases also include 10 suicides, fuelling concerns regarding the lack of physical and mental health supervision and timely care.
Medical experts also suggested potential problems with initial health screenings and chronic-disease management as 16 deaths were deemed to be caused by heart attacks and cardiovascular issues.
Chanelle Diaz, an assistant professor of medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, interpreted from the data and records that the agency was choosing to imprison medically vulnerable people, leading to a “spike in preventable deaths”.
“The system is not designed for chronic-care management,” said Diaz.
She also highlighted that at least two detainees who died had dementia and posed no risk to the public.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to the reports by insisting that it was committed to ensuring a “safe, secure, and humane” environment in detention centres.
DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis said in a statement to Reuters, “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.”
