Death rate in immigration detention has reached a 22-year-high, doctors say

Key Points:

• New research published in JAMA reveals that deaths in ICE custody have increased to a 22-year high during the current fiscal year, with systemic weaknesses in medical care worsening over the past two decades.
• The study found an annualized death rate of 88.9 per 100,000 detainees from October 2023 to January 2024, with a total of 18 deaths in that period and 10 more since then.
• Physicians Michele Heisler and Katherine R. Peeler highlighted that the rise in deaths correlates with expanded detention policies and deteriorating conditions under the Trump administration, which weakened oversight and increased the detained population.
• The report indicates that many deaths are premature, with cardiovascular disease accounting for about 20% and nearly half of deaths classified as “undetermined or unclassified,” raising concerns about accountability and medical care quality.
• The authors urge Congress to restore and fully staff DHS oversight offices cut during the Trump administration to improve monitoring, medical care, and transparency in immigration detention facilities.