Deaths in immigration detention up, hit record high in 2026

Mortality in immigration detention centers recorded its highest level in more than two decades in 2026, according to a study released in the medical journal JAMA and newspaper reports from NBC News. In just four months, between October 2025 and January 2026, 18 deaths were documented, a figure that, when projected annually, represents the highest rate since 2004.

This year, according to official data released by DHS, there have been 17 deaths of immigrants in ICE custody.

The report warns that the system faces structural flaws in health care and oversight mechanisms, in a context of an expanding detention population and stronger immigration policies.

A record driven by structural factors

The mortality rate reached 88.9 deaths per 100,000 detainees, surpassing even the peaks recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 90% of the deceased were male, and the median age was 45 years old, in line with the demographic profile of the population in custody.

Among the main causes of death were cardiovascular diseases, although almost half of the cases (49 %) were classified as "undetermined or unspecified," which makes it difficult to establish responsibility and prevent further deaths.

Another critical finding is that only 13% of deaths occurred in hospitals, suggesting delays or failures in access to specialized medical care.

More detainees, greater risk

The increase in deaths coincides with changes in immigration policy during the Donald Trump administration, which expanded the scope of people detained.

According to the report, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began detaining a "broader" population, including migrants with longer residence in the country and with chronic illnesses or complex medical conditions.

Currently, more than 60,000 people remain in custody, nearly twice as many as before Trump's return to power, despite a recent slight decrease in apprehensions.

The rapid expansion of the system, specialists warn, was not accompanied by improvements in health infrastructure or independent controls, resulting in more saturated centers with greater risks.

Lack of transparency in reporting

Another point of concern is the reduction in public reporting on deaths in custody.

Until late 2025, ICE used to publish detailed multi-page reports with medical chronologies and circumstances of death. Since December, however, those reports have been replaced by four-paragraph summaries, according to the agency's own website.

In addition, some final reports have not been released within established deadlines, limiting public and legislative scrutiny.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attributed part of the delays to administrative problems stemming from a lack of government funding.

Recent cases and controversies

Some recent episodes intensified criticism of the system's management.

At Camp East Montana in Texas, one of the nation's largest facilities, the death of a detainee initially attributed to suicide was later classified as a homicide by forensic authorities.

Other cases, such as those of Víctor Manuel Díaz and Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, the latter 27-year-old declared as the latest death in ICE custody in Miami, remain without definitive conclusions, with causes still "under investigation."

The official response

The DHS denied that there is a significant increase in mortality and maintained that the deaths represent a minimal proportion of the total number of detainees.

In a statement, the agency affirmed that all people in custody receive food, water, medical care and access to communication with family and lawyers, and assured that detention standards exceed those of many American prisons.