UN Rights Chief Calls for Independent Probe Into Rising Deaths in US ICE Custody

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for independent investigations into the growing number of deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, urging authorities to take immediate steps to prevent further fatalities and ensure accountability.

According to the UN, at least 52 people have died in ICE custody since the beginning of 2025 following the expansion of immigration enforcement measures under President Donald Trump's administration. The High Commissioner stressed that governments have a legal obligation under international human rights law to protect the lives of individuals held in detention and to provide them with adequate medical care and other essential safeguards.

Türk's statement comes amid increasing concern from human rights organisations over detention conditions. Human Rights Watch noted that ICE policy requires authorities to provide families with medical records and investigative findings after a detainee's death. However, a report by Physicians for Human Rights found that, in all 39 cases it reviewed, the government failed to publicly disclose sufficient information about the circumstances of the deaths or the medical treatment provided, making independent assessment impossible.

The High Commissioner also criticised broader immigration enforcement practices, expressing concern over reports of arrests and detentions carried out at hospitals, schools, places of worship, courthouses, markets and private homes. He reiterated that international human rights law permits the intentional use of lethal force only as a last resort against an individual posing an imminent threat to life.

ICE is currently detaining more than 60,000 people and plans to expand its detention capacity to 90,000 by the end of 2026. Human Rights Watch has reported that the mortality rate in ICE custody is now at its highest level in more than a decade, prompting renewed calls for transparency and independent oversight.