How many illegal immigrants have died in custody since trumps reelection

1. The headline number: 32 deaths in ICE custody since Jan. 20, 2025

ICE and multiple news outlets reported that by late 2025 the agency had recorded 32 deaths of people in ICE custody that occurred since President Trump’s second inauguration on January 20, 2025, a toll that matched the agency’s deadliest year on record in 2004 according to tracking by The Guardian and summary reporting citing agency figures ^{[2] [1]}.

2. Why simple math is deceptive: different buckets and different agencies

Counts differ depending on whether one means “ICE detention facilities” versus “CBP/Border Patrol custody” and whether one counts deaths after release but tied to custody; for CBP the agency distinguishes in‑custody reportable deaths from deaths not in custody and other CBP‑related deaths, and its historical reviews have covered larger combined totals (e.g., 171 CBP‑related deaths reviewed in FY2022 across multiple categories) — illustrating that agency definitions shift what is counted ^[4].

3. Discrepancies, delays and the problem of transparency

Advocates and reporting note a lag and gaps in public posting of deaths: the ACLU and partners flagged that ICE sometimes posts deaths with delay and that families and watchdogs allege practices such as releasing people shortly before death can reduce the official death tally; independent analyses have warned of 30–60 day posting lags and of systemic under‑reporting or opaque practices that make real‑time totals provisional ^{[5] [3] [6]}.

4. Independent investigations paint a pattern of preventable deaths

Non‑governmental reviews of earlier periods found most detainee deaths were preventable or possibly preventable with proper medical care — a 2017–2021 study identified 52 deaths in ICE custody and judged 95% preventable or possibly preventable — and reporting into 2024–2025 continues to emphasize delayed care and systemic failures as recurring themes ^{[7] [5] [6]}.

5. Border Patrol custody deaths are tracked separately and add to the human toll

Separate from ICE detention totals, members of Congress and reporting have documented deaths in Border Patrol custody during the early months of the second Trump administration; a January 2026 letter noted that 17 Border Patrol custody deaths were reported to Congress during the first 12 months of the prior Trump administration’s term, demonstrating that the broader category of “in custody” deaths spans multiple DHS components and reporting regimes ^[8].

6. What the numbers don’t resolve — and why they matter politically

Beyond the raw count, both government and advocacy sources emphasize accountability, oversight, and the impact of detention policy: critics say rising detentions under the current administration are correlated with more deaths and that private contractors have faced little penalty despite repeated fatalities, while DHS and ICE point to procedures and reporting requirements meant to document deaths promptly ^{[9] [6] [5] [10]}. These conflicting frames reveal implicit agendas: agencies defending operational protocols and advocates highlighting systemic neglect and profit motives in contracted facilities ^{[6] [5]}.

7. Bottom line

Based on the open reporting assembled here, the most commonly cited figure for ICE detainee deaths occurring since January 20, 2025, is 32 deaths by the end of 2025 ^{[1] [2]}; however, that number does not by itself capture all DHS‑related custody deaths (Border Patrol/CBP figures are tracked separately), nor does it eliminate uncertainties caused by reporting lags, differing definitions, and disputed practices such as releasing detainees shortly before death ^{[4] [8] [5]}.