Migrant Deaths in ICE Custody Reach Record High Under Trump Administration
The number of immigrants dying in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody has reached an all-time high this fiscal year, with 29 deaths recorded since October, surpassing the previous record of 28 set in 2004. This surge coincides with a significant increase in detention numbers, which have risen by over 70% under President Trump's administration compared to the first year of the Biden era. The most recent fatality involved Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, a Cuban national found unresponsive in a Miami facility, with authorities investigating a presumed suicide. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attributes the rise in absolute numbers to the historically high detained population of approximately 60,000 individuals, critics highlight the unprecedented crackdown on immigration. DHS officials maintain that death rates remain low at 0.009% and emphasize the medical care provided to detainees. Amidst these developments, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons testified before Congress regarding the statistics and subsequently announced his resignation. The report identifies facilities in Texas and California, including Camp East Montana and the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, as particularly deadly locations within the expanding detention network.
Wire timeline
Migrant Deaths in ICE Custody Reach Record High Under Trump Administration
The number of immigrants dying in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody has reached an all-time high this fiscal year, with 29 deaths recorded since October, surpassing the previous record of 28 set in 2004. This surge coincides with a significant increase in detention numbers, which have risen by over 70% under President Trump's administration compared to the first year of the Biden era. The most recent fatality involved Aled Damien Carbonell-Betancourt, a Cuban national found unresponsive in a Miami facility, with authorities investigating a presumed suicide. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attributes the rise in absolute numbers to the historically high detained population of approximately 60,000 individuals, critics highlight the unprecedented crackdown on immigration. DHS officials maintain that death rates remain low at 0.009% and emphasize the medical care provided to detainees. Amidst these developments, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons testified before Congress regarding the statistics and subsequently announced his resignation. The report identifies facilities in Texas and California, including Camp East Montana and the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, as particularly deadly locations within the expanding detention network.
npr