A Record Number of People have Died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention since the Start of the Second Trump (R) Administration, the Agency’s Acting Director said 4/16/2026.
Since Trump took Office for a Second Term in 1/2025, at least 48 People have Died in ICE Detention Facilities. Todd Lyons, who Leads ICE told Federal Lawmakers at least 44 People have Died in Custody, since He began His Acting Tenure in 3/2025. Overall, Numbers are Higher since Trump Returned to the White House, Promising to Dramatically Increase Deportations from the U.S.
“It is the highest because we do have the highest amount in detention that ICE has ever had since its inception in 2003,” Lyons told Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Il, 14th District).
Underwood, who Questioned Lyons' Numbers, Grilled Him on Practices by ICE and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Agencies in a House Budget Hearing. DHS has remained Partially Unfunded since 2/14/2026 over Lawmakers Objecting to Immigration Agents' Tactics that have Resulted in Americans Killed during Federal Operations. Conditions in Immigrant Detention Facilities also have Drawn Heavy Scrutiny since the Start of Trump's Second Term.
Neither Congress nor the Public, Underwood said, has had a Real Explanation of why More People are Dying in ICE Custody.
“Just saying simply there’s more detainees, I mean, you have more officers, you have more resources,” She said. “That’s not, in my opinion, a valid rationale why the death rate would be increasing.”
Underwood said ICE Appeared on Track to Break the Number of Detainee Deaths in 2025, 32 People who Died in Custody the previous year, Underwood's Office Counts 33 Deaths that year. In 2026, 16 People have Died, including One on 4/13/2026.
Underwood Questioned whether there were Changes to Internal Policies or Goals to Reduce Deaths in Custody. Lyons Responded there is No Policy to Try to Reduce Deaths.
Agency Policy had been to Notify the Public and Congress within Two days of a Death, but the Policy have Changed since Mid/12/2025. ICE’s Online Postings about Investigations on Deaths also have been Delayed.
Because of the Partial DHS Shutdown, the Department Reportedly said None Sential Reporting Functions have Slowed. On 4/16/2026, Lyons told Lwmakers there was No Legal Basis that Investigating Deaths was “Nonessential”.
The same day, a Newly Published JAMA Study Showed Increasing Rates of Deaths in ICE Custody. The latest Fiscal Year Surpassed Death Dates from the COVID-19 Pandemic, According to the 4/16/2026 Study, which Collected Data from Fiscal year 2004 through 1/19/2026. The 2026 Fiscal Year, from 10/1/2025, to 1/19/2026, had the Highest Death Rate in the 22 year Sstudy Period.
Recent Increases in Deaths were more Indicative of “systemic weaknesses” in Medical Care, Mental Health Protection and Mortality Review than Isolated Instances, Researchers Unaffiliated with the Study Wrote in an Opinion Editorial.
ICE is Requesting $5.4 Billion from Congress in the 2027 fiscal year for Enforcement and Removal Operations, including Funding 41,500 Detention Beds and Expanding Detention Facilities, according to Lyons' Written Statement. Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearing House said more than 60,300 People were in ICE Detention as of 4/4/2026.
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