ICE deaths continue to climb in 2026
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Nineteen immigrants have died in ICE custody in 2026, and 31 died last year, according to data reviewed by Axios from the Detention Watch Network.
The big picture: Outrage over ICE hit home after the killing of Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national.
Zoom in: Fourteen Mexican nationals have died in ICE custody since President Trump returned to office, and another three have died during ICE operations, according to Mexico's Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Álvarez.
By comparison, ICE reported 26 deaths across President Biden's term.
The other side: "There has been NO spike in deaths," a Homeland Security official told Axios in an emailed statement.
- "Consistent with data over the last decade, as of May 29, death rates in custody under the Trump administration are 0.008% of the detained population."
- "As bed space has rapidly expanded, we have maintained a higher standard of care than most prisons that hold U.S. citizens—including providing access to proper medical care."
Flashback: Deaths similarly jumped during President George W. Bush's immigration crackdown in 2004, resulting in 32 deaths.