How many civilian deaths have occurred during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations since 2020?
Executive summary
Since 2020, publicly reported civilian deaths tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations — including people who died in ICE custody and civilians killed during enforcement encounters — total at least a low‑double‑digit figure; based on available reporting, a conservative minimum is approximately 71 deaths, but data gaps and differing tallies in sources mean the true number could be higher [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]. Reporting from government compilations, investigative outlets and advocacy groups produce different counts and emphases, so any definitive total must acknowledge those limitations [1] [7] [2].
1. What the sources count: deaths in ICE custody
Independent reporting and ICE’s own compilations show a surge in in‑custody deaths in recent years: 2020 is variously reported as 18 deaths (Wikipedia summary) and 21 deaths in fiscal‑year reporting cited by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) [1] [7], 2021 had five reported deaths [1], 2025 was the deadliest year in two decades with 32 people recorded dead in ICE custody (Guardian) and NPR had documented at least 20 deaths in 2025 by October of that year [2] [3], and early 2026 coverage documents at least eight deaths connected to ICE interactions in January 2026 [4]. Adding the conservative figures that appear consistently across sources — 18 + 5 + 32 + 8 (early 2026) — yields at least 63 confirmed in‑custody or custody‑related deaths since 2020; if one uses the FY2020 figure of 21 instead of 18 the minimum rises to at least 66 [1] [7] [2] [4].
2. Deaths during enforcement encounters, raids and shootings
Separate from detainee deaths, reporting documents multiple civilian deaths tied to enforcement encounters and shootings by immigration agents. Investigations and databases compiled by outlets and researchers identify at least several fatal shootings in the second Trump administration: one running count notes at least eight deaths from shootings by immigration agents since January 20, 2025 (The Wall Street Journal summary reported on Wikipedia’s tracking), while other local analyses reported four deaths linked to 16 shooting incidents in recent months [5] [6]. High‑profile cases such as the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis were covered in depth by The Marshall Project and other outlets [8]. Combining the conservative lower bound (at least eight enforcement‑encounter deaths in 2025–26) with in‑custody deaths produces a minimum combined total near 71–74 civilian deaths attributable to ICE custody or operations since 2020 [2] [4] [5].
3. Why totals vary and where the reporting diverges
Counts diverge because sources use different definitions and data windows: ICE’s detainee death reporting covers deaths in custody and relies on agency notifications; independent trackers include hospital deaths of people recently released or deaths during arrests and work‑site raids; media compilations may include civilian deaths caused by off‑duty agents or joint operations where agency responsibility is contested [1] [2] [8]. Wikipedia and advocacy organizations draw from government records, press releases and media reports, producing slightly different year totals [1] [7]; investigative outlets like The Guardian and The Marshall Project emphasize systemic context and document cases sometimes omitted from official summaries [2] [8].
4. Accountability, agendas and the reporting gap
Advocacy groups argue rising in‑custody deaths reflect deteriorating conditions and inadequate medical care, while DHS and ICE push back, saying medical care meets standards and that higher detention populations partly explain the totals [2]. Congressional Democrats have demanded documents after spikes in deaths in custody and during operations, signaling political scrutiny [9]. Crucially, public tallies remain incomplete: multiple sources note deaths tied to immigration enforcement that are not always captured in ICE’s official datasets, and several incidents involve multiple agencies (ICE, CBP, local law enforcement), complicating attribution [1] [5] [6].
5. Bottom line and reporting limits
Conservatively based on the provided reporting, at least roughly 71 civilian deaths can be documented as connected to ICE custody or enforcement encounters from 2020 through early 2026 — this comprises a minimum of about 63–66 in‑custody deaths and at least eight deaths from enforcement shootings/encounters — but incomplete public records, different counting rules and overlapping agency responsibility mean the true figure could be higher and requires a systematic, transparent federal accounting to resolve [1] [7] [2] [4] [5] [6].