US Immigrant Detention Death Rate More Than Doubles Under Trump Administration

Washington DC. A comprehensive analysis has shown that the death rate in immigrant detention centers has more than doubled since the start of the widespread deportation campaign initiated by US President Donald Trump in January 2025. According to records from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, 50 people have died in custody since the Trump administration's campaign began.

One of the deceased was a Vietnamese citizen with a heart condition. He died after collapsing in an immigrant detention center in Indiana, which was converted from a maximum-security prison. Similarly, a Chinese citizen who had previously attempted suicide was found hanged in a center in Pennsylvania, while a Honduran citizen suffering from health problems due to alcohol withdrawal died in his cell at a center in New York.

A Reuters analysis of ICE data shows that from 2009 to 2024, on average, one in every 3,848 detainees died. However, after Trump was re-elected president, this rate increased to one death for every 1,630 detainees. The data was obtained through public records requests by the 'Deportation Data Project' and processed by the non-profit organization 'Vera Institute of Justice'.

According to experts, not all deaths in detention may be directly due to negligence or abuse. However, the increase in the death rate and other statistics raise serious questions about the quality of monitoring and healthcare. Dr. Sanjay Basu from the University of California, San Francisco, who studied records and autopsy reports for Reuters, stated that 21 out of 50 deaths occurred when individuals were found unconscious or dead. Ten of these incidents were related to suicide.

He indicated that such incidents may suggest weak mental and physical health monitoring and a lack of timely necessary treatment. According to the data, 16 deaths were due to heart attacks or heart-related problems. Doctors suggested this could indicate deficiencies in initial health screenings and chronic disease management.

Chanel Diaz, an assistant professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, stated that preventable deaths have increased due to the policy of detaining individuals at health risk. She said, 'This system is not designed for long-term health care management.' According to her, at least two of the deceased were patients with dementia and posed no public safety risk.

The US Department of Homeland Security has not provided detailed records of deaths during the Trump administration. The ministry stated that it is committed to ensuring a safe, orderly, and humane environment in detention centers. In a statement issued by the department's spokesperson, Lauren Bass, it was claimed that individuals brought into custody are provided with necessary health services from the moment of arrival and continuous treatment throughout their stay.