DHS killings 20
Executive summary
Available reporting does not confirm a tidy figure of "20" killings by the Department of Homeland Security; public sources document numerous lethal encounters tied to DHS immigration agents but offer different totals—Wikipedia notes at least 30 shootings by immigration agents since January 20, 2025 resulting in eight deaths [1], and The Guardian and other outlets document at least eight people killed in dealings with ICE so far in 2026 and dozens of deaths in ICE custody in 2025 [2]. Significant gaps in DHS transparency and conflicting official accounts leave the exact tally of DHS-involved killings unresolved in public records [3].
1. What the public record actually shows about recent DHS shootings
A running, publicly compiled list on Wikipedia tallies at least 30 shootings by U.S. immigration agents since January 20, 2025 and attributes eight deaths to those incidents, framing every entry as involving at least one DHS agent because ICE and CBP sit under DHS [1]. Independent reporting amplifies that pattern: high-profile fatal shootings in Minneapolis in January 2026—of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—are frequently cited in national coverage and have sharpened scrutiny of DHS tactics [4] [5].
2. Broader mortality linked to ICE operations: custody deaths and off-duty incidents
Beyond on-scene shootings, The Guardian reports that at least 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025—the highest annual total since 2004—and catalogs additional deaths tied to ICE interactions, including off-duty-agent shootings such as the December killing of Keith Porter Jr., illustrating that lethal outcomes tied to DHS actors extend beyond the narrow category of “agent-involved shootings” [2].
3. Accountability, investigation, and the transparency gap
Multiple outlets note that DHS has not provided comprehensive counts or detailed public accounting: PBS reported that DHS did not answer questions about how many gun-related incidents were under investigation or how many shootings occurred across administrations, complicating efforts to assess trends [3]. Congressional Democrats have demanded records and preservation of footage after the Minnesota killings, seeking evidence DHS has not fully released and questioning the department’s handling of investigations [6].
4. Conflicting narratives and video evidence
A recurring pattern in the reporting is DHS public accounts of shootings that have been challenged by bystander video and other reporting: NPR and Newser note footage that undercuts DHS descriptions of the Pretti shooting, while Time and other outlets observed DHS statements contradicted by video in the earlier Renee Good case, fueling public outrage and bipartisan criticism [7] [5] [8].
5. Political framing, departmental posture, and alternative perspectives
DHS leadership and pro-enforcement outlets have defended agents and emphasized removals of dangerous criminal noncitizens as part of the department’s mission, with DHS public material praising arrests of “criminal illegal aliens” and senior officials framing enforcement as restoring public safety [9] [10]. Fox News and DHS social posts have pushed narratives highlighting alleged criminality of shooting victims in some incidents, a perspective that DHS defenders argue justifies aggressive operations even as critics call such framing “trolling” and politicized messaging [11] [12].
6. Conclusion: the “20” figure cannot be verified from provided reporting
The materials reviewed document multiple lethal incidents tied to DHS agents and ICE operations—eight deaths from agent-involved shootings since Jan. 20, 2025 on one public tally, at least eight DHS-related deaths reported in early 2026, and at least 32 custody deaths in 2025—but do not substantiate a specific total of 20 killings by DHS; incomplete agency disclosure, varying definitions (shootings vs. custody deaths vs. off-duty incidents), and ongoing investigations mean the precise aggregated figure remains unverified in available reporting [1] [2] [3].