TIMES International
The death rate in United States immigration detention centres has more than doubled since President Donald Trump returned to office and launched a sweeping deportation campaign, according to an analysis of federal detention records reviewed by Reuters.
50 people have died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since January 2025, when Trump began implementing his mass deportation agenda.
Based on detention population figures, Reuters found that the mortality rate has risen from one death for every 3,848 detainees between 2009 and 2024 to roughly one for every 1,630 detainees under the current administration, using preliminary data through early June.
The analysis was based on ICE records obtained through a public records request by the Deportation Data Project and processed by the Vera Institute of Justice, a non-profit organisation focused on criminal justice reform.
Experts who reviewed detention records, autopsies and death reports for Reuters said the increase raises concerns about healthcare provision and supervision within facilities that have experienced rapid population growth.
The number of detainees rose from around 40,000 when Trump took office to a peak of about 70,000 in January before declining to roughly 57,000 by early June.
The causes of death varied. Heart attacks and other cardiovascular conditions accounted for 16 fatalities, while 10 deaths were classified as suicides.
Twenty-one detainees were found dead or unresponsive before medical intervention could begin, according to ICE records.
Sanjay Basu, an associate physician at the University of California, San Francisco, said deaths discovered only after detainees had become unresponsive were particularly troubling because they could indicate shortcomings in physical and mental health monitoring.
Chanelle Diaz, an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said the records suggested authorities were detaining medically vulnerable individuals despite significant health risks.
“The system is not designed for chronic-care management,” Diaz said, noting that at least two detainees who died had dementia and posed no threat to public safety.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rejected suggestions that detainees were not receiving appropriate care.
Spokesperson Lauren Bis said the agency remained committed to maintaining a “safe, secure and humane” environment and that comprehensive medical treatment was provided throughout detention.
Questions have also emerged about the quality and completeness of official death reports.
Experts told Reuters that reports released during the Trump administration often contained fewer details than those issued previously, omitting information such as medical histories, prescribed medications and emergency response procedures.
One case highlighted by medical experts involved Santos Reyes Banegas, a Honduran detainee who died at Nassau County Correctional Center in New York.
ICE records showed he displayed symptoms of alcohol withdrawal during intake and was later prescribed medication.
However, the report did not specify what medication was provided or confirm whether it had been administered before he was found unresponsive the following morning.
Another case involved Vietnamese detainee Tuan Van Bui, who died at the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana, known by the administration as the “Speedway Slammer”.
Fellow detainees told Reuters that Bui collapsed on 1 April and that inmates called repeatedly for assistance. One detainee said he performed CPR while waiting for staff to arrive.
Federal detention standards call for a four-minute emergency medical response time. DHS did not provide a specific timeline for the incident but said staff immediately initiated life-saving measures and contacted emergency services.
Mental health monitoring has also come under scrutiny. Chinese immigrant Chaofeng Ge was found hanging in a shower stall at Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center after previously attempting suicide while in another detention facility.
Records reviewed by Reuters showed medical personnel had earlier recommended monitoring him for suicidal thoughts.
The Reuters review also examined the death of Afghan asylum seeker Mohammad Paktiawal, who died in a Texas hospital one day after being detained by ICE. His family said they are still awaiting a final explanation for his death.
Experts reviewing the available records found no evidence of inadequate emergency treatment in Paktiawal’s case. However, relatives questioned why more information has not been provided months after his death.
The deaths have intensified scrutiny of detention conditions as the administration expands immigration enforcement, with advocates and medical specialists warning that growing populations may be placing additional strain on detention systems already facing significant healthcare challenges.
