Record Migrant Deaths In ICE Custody Prompt DHS Defense Of Care
Deaths of migrants in ICE custody hit a record high under the Trump administration, prompting DHS to defend detainee medical care.
NPR reported the tally rose above prior years, marking the highest annual total on record. The Department of Homeland Security defended the care detainees receive and said it investigates deaths in custody. ICE detention centers and local jails holding immigration detainees have come under renewed scrutiny for medical care and oversight.
Immigrant-rights advocates and some lawmakers criticized detention conditions and called for greater transparency and independent oversight. Families of the deceased and some eyewitnesses described delays in medical attention and alleged systemic failures in detention settings. Observers say the deaths raise questions about detention policy, facility capacity, and how agencies respond to medical emergencies.
📌 Key Facts
- Twenty-nine migrants have died in ICE custody since October, surpassing the prior record of 28 deaths in 2004.
- Roughly 60,000 people are currently in immigration detention, with detentions up more than 70% under Trump compared with Biden's first year.
- DHS tells NPR the in-custody death rate is 0.009% and says "being in detention is a choice," encouraging detainees to self-deport via the CBP Home App.
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