ICE Detention Deaths Reach Decade High Under Trump

Washington D.C. Amidst US President Donald Trump's strict actions against immigrants, the number of people dying in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention has reached its highest level in a decade. A joint report by "Human Rights Watch" and "Physicians for Human Rights" has confirmed that at least 52 people have died in ICE custody since the beginning of Trump's second term in January 2025. US officials have detained thousands of people as Trump prioritizes illegal immigration policy in his second term. The report states that from January 2025 to January 2026, the annual death rate in ICE custody increased by 140 percent compared to the previous year. The death rate is approximately four times higher than during the administration of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, and double that of the Republican's first term from 2017 to 2021. AFP quoted Regan Williams, an HRW researcher and co-author of the report, stating that the death rate in detention has increased to a high level. The report cites the case of an individual in detention who suffered a stroke but did not receive adequate medical treatment. Similarly, another example mentions the death of a Mexican due to lack of necessary treatment after a heart attack. The report indicates a decline in medical services as immigration detention centers expand. Katherine Piller, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the report, stated that the US government has failed to protect ICE detainees. The report also highlights a large number of suicides in ICE custody, with seven deaths reported from January 2025 to January 2026.