Deaths in ICE detention centers tripled during Trump's second term. Photo: Europa Press

The expansion of the U.S. immigration detention system during Donald Trump's second term has brought an alarming increase in deaths in ICE custody. According to a report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights, 52 people lost their lives in detention centers between January 2025 and June 2026. The study, titled "Dying in Detention," reveals that the mortality rate reached 8.4 deaths per 10,000 detainees, a level exceeding even the peak recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The population held by ICE grew by 77% between January 2025 and January 2026, creating critical overcrowding in facilities. The report documents that most deaths occurred in civilian and private centers operating far above capacity. Causes include medical negligence, delays in emergencies, untreated infections, and suicides. Researchers indicate that the system lacks effective oversight and that many deaths could have been prevented with timely medical care.

MEXICAN MIGRANTS MOST AFFECTED

Mexican citizens represent the hardest-hit group, with 10 confirmed deaths in ICE custody during the analyzed period. Media reports raise the figure to 15 deaths, with a 16th case reported on June 19. Documented cases include Ismael Ayala-Uribe, 39, a U.S. resident since age four, who died in September 2025 from lack of medical care for an infected abscess. Lorenzo Antonio Batrez Vargas, 32, also died after nearly two weeks in isolation for COVID-19.

SUICIDES AND MENTAL HEALTH FAILURES

The report also warns of rising suicides in detention centers. Seven people died by apparent suicide between January 2025 and January 2026, compared to a single recorded suicide death in 2024. This underscores the lack of mental health care in the system. The organizations denounce that ICE provides insufficient information about deaths, preventing effective oversight by Congress, families, and civil society. Many reports are published late, hindering accountability.

The Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights report concludes that the U.S. immigration detention system is failing its duty to protect the lives of those in its custody and demands urgent measures to halt this humanitarian crisis. (CubaSí)