The deaths of four men in ICE custody in January 2026 sparked a wave of protests in the United States and drew attention to a long-term increase in the number of victims in immigration detention facilities. Experts point to serious deficiencies in medical care for detainees.
At least four people died in the first ten days of 2026 in the United States in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
- Four men died in ICE custody in early 2026.
- Two came from Honduras, others from Cuba and Cambodia.
- The deaths of two men were attributed to health problems with the heart.
- Protests erupted after the shooting of a woman by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
- Reports criticize inadequate medical care in ICE detention facilities.
They were men between the ages of 42 and 68, with two from Honduras, one from Cuba and the last from Cambodia. Authorities attributed the deaths of two men to “heart health problems” and did not immediately explain the remaining deaths. However, they said that one of them is under investigation.
Protests against ICE
ICE came into the spotlight when agents of the agency shot and killed protester Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 7, sparking new protests in the US against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. However, the data shows that immigration detention centers can also pose a danger to the people who are in them, writes AFP.
According to ICE press releases, several people have died in custody already in the first days of 2026, with at least 30 people killed there last year – the most in 20 years. The numbers also exceed the number of deaths during the entire term of office of the previous president Joe Biden, when 26 people lost their lives in the custody of the office within four years.
Lack of care
At the end of December, more than 68,000 adults were in ICE custody, nearly doubling from about 36,000 in December 2023.
External observers have expressed concern about the level of medical care detainees receive. A 2024 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) concluded that up to 95 percent of deaths could have been prevented with adequate care, AFP added.
