Rising deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody have prompted the United Nations to call for independent investigations and urgent reforms to prevent further fatalities.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker TĂĽrk, made the call on Friday, citing growing concern over conditions in US immigration detention facilities.
The UN human rights office said at least 52 deaths have been recorded in ICE custody since the start of 2025, when President Donald Trump returned to office and intensified immigration enforcement. It noted 18 deaths in the first five months of the year and another in June, compared to 11 deaths in 2024.
Türk called for “prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations” into all deaths, warning that a lack of transparency undermines accountability and justice for victims’ families.
The UN said ICE now holds more than 60,000 detainees, up from about 40,000 earlier in 2025, with plans to expand capacity to 90,000 by 2026. It also raised concerns over overcrowding, poor conditions, and reports of use of force in detention centres.
Türk reiterated that immigration detention should be a last resort and said children should not be detained, while also condemning what he described as the “dehumanisation and criminalisation” of migrants and refugees.
