UN Rights Chief Calls for Probe Into Deaths in ICE Custody

According to official United States Government data, 18 people died in ICE detention during the first five months of 2026, with another death reported this month.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for urgent action to prevent further deaths in the custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), urging authorities to launch prompt, independent and impartial investigations into every death that occurs inside immigration detention facilities.

In a statement issued on Friday, Türk said the increasing number of deaths in ICE custody is deeply concerning. According to official United States Government data, 18 people died in ICE detention during the first five months of 2026, with another death reported this month. The figures follow 33 deaths recorded during 2025, compared with 11 deaths in 2024, reflecting a sharp increase over the past two years.

The High Commissioner said the limited public information available about many of these cases weakens transparency and accountability, making it difficult for families and the wider public to understand the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Türk stressed that every death in custody must be investigated thoroughly and independently. He said anyone found responsible for violations of the law should be held accountable, while victims' families must receive truth, justice, reparations and guarantees that similar incidents will not happen again.

Growing Detention System Faces Human Rights Concerns

The High Commissioner noted that the rise in deaths has occurred alongside a significant expansion of the United States immigration detention system. According to the latest official figures, more than 60,000 people are currently being held in ICE detention, compared with around 40,000 detainees in early 2025. Plans are also in place to expand detention capacity to 90,000 people by the end of 2026.

Türk expressed concern about reports describing poor detention conditions, particularly for vulnerable groups such as families with children, pregnant women and people with serious medical conditions. Reports received by the UN describe overcrowded facilities, limited access to healthcare, inadequate food, exposure to disease outbreaks and allegations involving the use of force.

He also highlighted that five of the officially reported deaths in 2026 were classified as suicides, raising further concerns about detainees' mental health and the support available inside detention centres.

Another issue identified by the High Commissioner is the lack of information provided to families when detainees are transferred between facilities. He said uncertainty over a person's location, combined with prolonged immigration procedures and unresolved legal status, can cause severe psychological distress for detainees and their relatives.

Türk also expressed concern about reported use of solitary confinement in immigration detention. He said isolation should remain an exceptional measure and warned that prolonged or indefinite solitary confinement could amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under international human rights standards.

Call for Alternatives and Stronger Oversight

The High Commissioner said many of the reported deaths may have been preventable if detention conditions had better protected people's health and wellbeing. He urged authorities to make greater use of alternatives to immigration detention, particularly for individuals with significant medical or mental health conditions and for pregnant women.

He also stressed that children should not be placed in immigration detention, regardless of their own immigration status or that of their parents.

According to Türk, United States immigration authorities have a responsibility to ensure that detention facilities fully comply with international human rights standards. This includes protecting the dignity of detainees, preventing overcrowding, guaranteeing timely medical and mental healthcare, notifying families, providing consular access, ensuring legal representation and offering interpretation services whenever needed.

The High Commissioner called for the restoration and strengthening of independent oversight mechanisms that monitor immigration detention facilities, describing them as an essential safeguard against abuse. He also encouraged the United States Congress to continue closely overseeing immigration enforcement policies and public spending connected to detention operations to strengthen compliance with international human rights obligations.

Türk also condemned what he described as the continued dehumanisation and criminalisation of migrants and refugees. He expressed support for lawyers, journalists, faith-based organisations and civil society groups working to protect the rights and dignity of migrants. He reiterated that international law prohibits returning anyone to a country where they face serious human rights violations or other irreversible harm.