How many people have died in ICE detention under Trump?

1. The headline number: 32 deaths in 2025 and why that matters

News outlets and advocacy groups converged on the figure of 32 deaths in ICE custody for calendar year 2025, calling it the deadliest year in more than 20 years and noting it matched the agency’s 2004 record; The Guardian and other outlets reported and contextualized that total amid a surge in detentions ^{[1] [2]}. Multiple organizations and analysts framed the spike as consequential because the administration dramatically expanded detention capacity and population—ICE was holding tens of thousands more people than the prior year—raising the statistical expectation of more medical and mental-health crises ^{[2] [5]}.

2. Early 2026: additional deaths push the tally higher

Reporting in January 2026 documented additional fatalities in ICE custody: Reuters and other outlets reported at least four deaths in the first 10 days of January and cited a larger tally of at least six deaths in January as investigations continued, meaning the post‑2025 death count rose rapidly in the new year ^{[4] [3]}. Combining the 32 deaths recorded for 2025 with those early-2026 reports yields a public minimum of roughly 38 confirmed deaths during the Trump administration’s second term as of late January 2026, though that aggregate depends on which trackers and press releases are counted ^{[1] [3] [4]}.

3. Why different outlets report different totals: definitions, timing, and exclusions

Discrepancies across trackers stem from timing, the agency’s release practices, and scope: some tallies count only deaths formally reported in ICE’s public fatality notices, others include people who died in hospitals while still under ICE custody, and most do not include Border Patrol deaths unless specified—Wikipedia and other resources note those jurisdictional exclusions explicitly ^[6]. Advocacy groups and local trackers sometimes report lower or higher counts depending on whether they require ICE confirmation, rely on media reports, or include deaths reported by family members and lawyers; for example, Detention Watch Network cited “at least 25 deaths in just ten months” before the year closed, while NPR and earlier Guardian pieces reported smaller interim counts as reporting continued ^{[7] [8] [9]}.

4. Agency response and competing narratives about cause and context

ICE and DHS pushed back against the implication that conditions were worsening, with a DHS spokesperson asserting ICE provides “comprehensive medical care” and citing a low average death-rate figure without releasing underlying data ^[1]. Critics, including the American Immigration Council and detention‑watch advocates, argue the expansion of detention, limits on releases, and reduced oversight contributed to the rise in deaths—calling 2025 deadlier than recent years even outside the COVID era ^{[5] [10]}. Independent reporters and watchdogs have flagged causes ranging from untreated medical conditions and suicide to drug withdrawal and injuries, and they note that increasing detention numbers alone raise the absolute count of deaths even if per-capita rates are debated ^{[8] [11]}.

5. Bottom line and reporting limits

The best publicly available reporting records 32 deaths in ICE custody in 2025 and at least six additional in January 2026, so the verifiable minimum for the period under discussion is approximately 38 deaths, with caveats: counts vary by tracker, ICE’s reporting practices and exclusions (notably Border Patrol custody) complicate aggregation, and investigations into individual cases often remain open or incomplete ^{[1] [3] [6]}. Where sources disagree, reporting gaps—not proof of falsity—explain the variance; transparency around methodology and a consolidated, audited federal accounting would be necessary to produce a definitive figure beyond the current, documented minimum.