Record 33 deaths in ICE custody

Summary

Thirty-three people died in ICE custody during 2025 (a figure KFF revised upward from 32), the most in more than two decades, driven by a roughly 70% surge in the detention population. Inspections of ICE facilities fell 36% even as the detainee population soared. Deaths continued into 2026: ICE's own records list 57 deaths in custody from the start of Trump's second term through August 23, 2026, 24 of them in 2026.

What happened

As ICE detained record numbers of people, the detention population climbed from approximately 39,000 in December 2024 to over 68,000 by early February 2026 - a roughly 70% increase. KFF now documents 33 deaths in 2025 (revised up from 32; vs. 11 in 2024), with causes including worsening pre-existing medical conditions, suicide, and other causes. Deaths continued through 2026: ICE's detainee-death list records 24 deaths from January 3 through August 23, 2026, bringing the total since January 2025 to 57. In at least one case, a January 2026 death that ICE reported as a suicide was ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner. Facilities documented inadequate access to medications, mistreatment of pregnant women, malnutrition, dehydration, and unsanitary conditions. Measles outbreaks occurred in Arizona and Texas facilities linked to overcrowding. The Project on Government Oversight found ICE published 36.25% fewer facility inspection reports in 2025 than the previous year.

Impact on the United States

The US government has custody responsibility for detained individuals; preventable deaths constitute a federal civil-rights liability and violation of the government's duty of care. Declining oversight creates conditions where abuse and neglect can go undetected. Survivors and families may file lawsuits imposing costs on taxpayers.

Documented effects

1. 33 deaths in ICE custody in 2025 (KFF revised up from 32) - three times the 11 deaths in 2024 and the most in more than two decades.[1][3]
2. Jun 2026Cumulative deaths since January 2025 reached roughly 52 or more by June 2026, as deaths continued at about one per week (at least 17 in 2026 by April 21; 19+ by June 4) - well past the frozen 46 figure recorded through March 18, 2026.[3][4]
3. ICE detention inspection reports published fell 36.25% in 2025 vs. prior year, per POGO analysis.[2]
4. Aug 23, 2026Lianyong Wei, 51, died at a facility in Saipan on August 23, 2026, hours after being booked into custody; he was the 57th person to die in ICE custody since January 2025 and the 24th in 2026, per ICE's detainee-death reporting.[5][6]
5. Jun 2026In June 2026 the administration eliminated a Biden-era requirement for ICE to report deaths within 30 days of release; DHS said 'ICE is not responsible when an individual passes away weeks after leaving their custody.'[5]

Why this is rated severe

A record 33 deaths in ICE custody in 2025 and 57 by August 2026, as detention rose about 70% and published inspections fell 36%, is a severe, ongoing harm to people in US custody.

57 deaths in ICE custody since January 2025, 24 of them in 2026, through August 23, 2026, per ICE records; deaths shortly after release no longer reported since June 2026

Corrections & updates [8]

Every change to a fact on this page after publication is logged here, newest first.

1. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedFigure

   Updated: ICE's detainee-death list shows 57 deaths in ICE custody from January 2025 through August 23, 2026, 24 of them in 2026 (previously ~52+ by June 2026). In June 2026 the administration also dropped a requirement to report deaths that occur shortly after release.[5][6]

2. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedSource

   Corrected: the Project on Government Oversight is a nonpartisan watchdog group, not a news outlet, so its source label was changed from Tier 2 to Tier 3.

3. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedTitle

   "Highest since 2004" and "the highest annual toll since the 2004 record" are replaced with KFF's wording, "the most in more than two decades". Sources count the 2004 record differently: CBS News says 32 deaths in 2004, which the 2025 total of 33 exceeds, and NPR says 28 for fiscal 2004. As worded, the entry implied 2004 was higher.[1][3][4]

4. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedSource

   Source date corrected. The POGO analysis was published January 12, 2026, not January 1, 2025.[2]

5. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedSummary

   "ICE-reported deaths often differed from independent medical examiner findings" went beyond the cited source. KFF documents one such case: a January 2026 death that ICE reported as a suicide was ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner.[1]

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   As ICE detained record numbers of people, the detention population climbed from approximately 39,000 in December 2024 to over 68,000 by early February 2026 - a roughly 70% increase. KFF now documents 33 deaths in 2025 (revised up from 32; vs. 11 in 2024), with causes including worsening pre-existing medical conditions, suicide, and other causes. Deaths continued through 2026: ICE's detainee-death list records 24 deaths from January 3 through August 23, 2026, bringing the total since January 2025 to 57. ICE-reported deaths often differed from independent medical examiner findings. Facilities documented inadequate access to medications, mistreatment of pregnant women, malnutrition, dehydration, and unsanitary conditions. Measles outbreaks occurred in Arizona and Texas facilities linked to overcrowding. The Project on Government Oversight found ICE published 36.25% fewer facility inspection reports in 2025 than the previous year.

   Now

   As ICE detained record numbers of people, the detention population climbed from approximately 39,000 in December 2024 to over 68,000 by early February 2026 - a roughly 70% increase. KFF now documents 33 deaths in 2025 (revised up from 32; vs. 11 in 2024), with causes including worsening pre-existing medical conditions, suicide, and other causes. Deaths continued through 2026: ICE's detainee-death list records 24 deaths from January 3 through August 23, 2026, bringing the total since January 2025 to 57. In at least one case, a January 2026 death that ICE reported as a suicide was ruled a homicide by the El Paso County Medical Examiner. Facilities documented inadequate access to medications, mistreatment of pregnant women, malnutrition, dehydration, and unsanitary conditions. Measles outbreaks occurred in Arizona and Texas facilities linked to overcrowding. The Project on Government Oversight found ICE published 36.25% fewer facility inspection reports in 2025 than the previous year.

6. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedSummary

   The display summary said deaths continued "at roughly one per week" and passed 50. ICE's detainee-death reports list 24 deaths in 2026 through August 23, for 57 since January 2025.[6]

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   Previously

   ICE's detention population grew from 39,000 to over 68,000 as enforcement ramped up while facility inspections dropped 36%. Deaths nearly tripled versus 2024 to 33 in 2025 and kept climbing at roughly one per week into 2026, pushing the cumulative total since January 2025 past 50.

   Now

   ICE's detention population grew from 39,000 to over 68,000 as enforcement ramped up while facility inspections dropped 36%. Deaths nearly tripled versus 2024 to 33 in 2025 and kept climbing into 2026, reaching 57 deaths since January 2025 by August 23, 2026, per ICE records.

7. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedSeverity rationale

   Replaced 'failure' with the documented figures. Severity unchanged.

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   Previously

   Record 33 in-custody deaths amid falling inspections represents a severe, ongoing federal duty-of-care and oversight failure for those in US custody.

   Now

   A record 33 deaths in ICE custody in 2025 and 57 by August 2026, as detention rose about 70% and published inspections fell 36%, is a severe, ongoing harm to people in US custody.

8. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedCost estimate

   The $15M booked figure and the 10- and 15-year projections assumed settlement amounts and death rates with no source. No published settlement or judgment figure exists yet, so nothing is booked. That is a floor, not a finding of no cost.

   Previously

   net $15M so far; 10yr $120M; 15yr $150M

   Now

   net $0; 10yr $0; 15yr $0

Sources [6]