More Migrants Dying in Detention Centers Under Trump Administration; Alarming Figures

Washington DC: The killing of a woman during an operation by ICE to identify undocumented immigrants in Minneapolis has triggered widespread protests. The victim has been identified as Renee Nicole Good (37), a poet and guitarist, who was shot dead by an immigration officer. The incident occurred barely a mile away from the location where George Floyd, an African American man, was murdered by police. His killing sparked nationwide protests in US in 2020.

The actions of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) against immigrants have once again come under intense scrutiny. Information released by ICE itself indicates that detention centres are extremely unsafe for detainees. In 2025, the number of deaths of immigrants in ICE custody reached the highest level in two decades. Soon after, ICE press releases revealed that several people died in custody in the very first days of 2026.

According to available data, at least four people died in ICE custody within the first 10 days of this year alone, with three deaths reported between January 9 and 10.

All the deceased were men aged between 42 and 68. Two were nationals of Honduras, one was a Cuban citizen, and the fourth was from Cambodia. Authorities have stated that two of the deaths were due to cardiac-related issues, while the causes of the other two remain unclear. An investigation is currently underway in only one of the cases.

The year 2025 recorded the highest number of deaths in immigration detention facilities in the past 20 years, with at least 30 detainees dying. This is the highest figure since ICE was established in 2003. Notably, the number of deaths recorded in 2025 alone exceeds the total deaths during the four-year tenure of the Joe Biden administration (2021–2025). According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, a total of 26 people died in ICE custody during Biden’s term.

Serious concerns have been raised about the quality of medical care provided to detainees. A report released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 2024 stated that 95 per cent of deaths in ICE custody could have been prevented with timely and adequate medical care. Meanwhile, according to reports, ICE has refrained from commenting on the issues.