ICE detention centers under scrutiny after new immigrant deaths so far in 2026
The victims, all men between the ages of 42 and 68, were two Honduran nationals, a Cuban national and a Cambodian national. In two cases, ICE attributed the deaths to heart-related health problems, while the other two causes were not detailed.
ICE and DHS agents during an immigration raid (File).
The deaths of immigrants in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody have once again taken center stage in the public debate under President Donald Trump, amid a sharp increase in detentions and questions about conditions in detention centers.
Attention on the practices of immigration authorities intensified after the death of Renee Nicole Good, during a confrontation with ICE on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, a case that reignited criticism of the confrontational tactics employed by the agency.
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Deaths in the early days of 2026
According to official ICE releases, at least four people died in agency custody in the first 10 days of 2026. Three of those deaths were announced between Jan. 9 and 10.
The victims, all men between the ages of 42 and 68, were two Honduran nationals, one Cuban and one Cambodian. In two cases, ICE attributed the deaths to heart-related health problems, while the other two causes were not detailed. Only one of these deaths was officially noted as "under investigation," according to the agency itself.
The spike in deaths occurs in parallel to an unprecedented increase in the number of detained migrants. According to ICE data, more than 68,000 adults were in custody at the end of December 2025, compared to some 36,000 detainees in December 2023, representing a near doubling in just two years.
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Criticism for poor medical care
Civil rights organizations and medical experts have expressed repeated concerns about health care in detention centers. A report released in 2024 by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) concluded that up to 95% of deaths in ICE custody could have been prevented with adequate medical care.
The study analyzed deaths that occurred between 2017 and 2021, during Trump's first term, from thousands of documents obtained through public information access requests. The experts detected inadequate treatment, incorrect diagnoses and severe delays in medical care, factors that would have directly contributed to the deaths.
So far, ICE has not responded to inquiries made by AFP about the deaths recorded in 2026 or criticisms regarding medical care at its facilities.
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