Index/Organizations/Office of Detention Oversight

Office of Detention Oversight

Fact-Checks

19 results
Jan 12, 2026
Most Viewed

How many detainees were killed by ICE during the Obama administration?

Available reporting does not document that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "killed" detainees as a matter of policy; instead, multiple investigations and civil-society reports count people w...

Jan 25, 2026
Most Viewed

Are ICE detention facilities inhumane

The available reporting shows a pattern of widespread and serious abuses inside —medical neglect, preventable deaths, rampant use of solitary confinement, overcrowding, and sharply —that many human-ri...

Jan 9, 2026
Most Viewed

How many deaths occurred during U.S. immigration deportations between 2009 and 2017 and how are they tracked?

Between 2009 and 2017, deaths connected to U.S. immigration enforcement were tracked unevenly and reported in small but politically explosive yearly totals: ICE listed 12 detainee deaths in fiscal yea...

Jan 22, 2026

Which ICE facilities reported the most in‑custody deaths in 2025 and what inspections or findings followed?

In , recorded its deadliest year since 2004 with roughly 31–32 people dying in custody, and reporting and watchdog reviews identify ), ) and ) as among the facilities that have held the most deaths hi...

Jan 27, 2026

How does Fatal Neglect define and count deaths in ICE custody, and how does that methodology compare with ICE's own reports?

— the joint 2016 report by the , and the — defines and tallies deaths by examining specific in-custody fatalities and the agency documents and inspections tied to them, focusing particularly on eight ...

Jan 27, 2026

How have in‑custody death rates and health oversight metrics changed as ICE detention populations rose in 2024–2026?

As detention surged in 2025, fell and reported deaths in custody spiked, producing a higher death rate relative to the and prompting alarm from advocates and watchdogs; official and independent source...

Jan 25, 2026

How many ICE facility inspections were publicly posted each month in 2025, and which regions saw the steepest declines?

The public record does not provide a month-by-month tally of facility inspection reports for 2025 that can be verified from the available sources; independent analysis shows a sharp overall drop in po...

Jan 17, 2026

What oversight mechanisms (Congressional, state, and international) have been proposed or enacted to address detention conditions and surveillance use by ICE?

Congressional, agency-internal, state/local and nongovernmental oversight mechanisms for ICE’s detention conditions and surveillance use exist in various forms—ranging from ICE’s own daily compliance ...

Dec 19, 2025

What were the key findings of the 2009 ICE detention center review under the Obama administration?

The 2009 review and reform package announced by the Obama administration sought to overhaul ICE detention by creating new oversight structures, strengthening detention standards, and promising greater...

Jan 28, 2026

Which ICE regions experienced the largest increases in average daily detained populations in 2025, and do those changes correlate with inspection-posting declines?

’s detention surge in 2025 was concentrated in southwestern and southeastern states — with , , , and housing the largest average daily populations — even as nationwide, creating a suggestive but not p...

Jan 28, 2026

What oversight findings exist on conditions and deaths in ICE custody in the states with the largest detainee populations?

Oversight reporting and independent investigations in late 2025 and early 2026 document a and multiple gaps in oversight of detention: inspections fell even as the detained population surged, watchdog...

Jan 27, 2026

What investigations and oversight actions have been opened into the 2025 ICE custody deaths?

Federal, congressional and international actors have opened multiple lines of inquiry into the in custody in 2025, ranging from agency-conducted medical and oversight reviews to demands for and congre...

Jan 27, 2026

Which ICE facilities had the most in-custody deaths during the Biden administration and what oversight followed those incidents?

, public reporting and advocacy groups identified multiple repeatedly tied to —Port Isabel, Adelanto, Stewart, and several large contract facilities such as Krome and California City are named in cont...

Jan 27, 2026

Which specific ODO facility inspection reports from 2009–2016 document use-of-force incidents and how can they be requested via FOIA?

A complete, source-verified inventory of (Office of Detention Oversight) facility inspection reports from 2009–2016 that document cannot be produced from the reporting provided because the available a...

Jan 27, 2026

What reforms or policy changes have been proposed to reduce deaths in immigration detention?

Policymakers, advocates, and watchdogs have proposed a mix of legislative, oversight, and operational changes to reduce , ranging from federal statutes to state safeguards and increased transparency; ...

Jan 26, 2026

What independent investigations or autopsies exist for the 30–32 detainee deaths in ICE custody in 2025?

Independent, external autopsies or truly external investigations into the 30–32 deaths in custody in 2025 are limited and uneven: families, advocacy groups and local medical examiners have produced or...

Jan 15, 2026

How have private prison contracts influenced medical care standards in facilities that house ICE detainees?

Private prison contracts have shaped medical care standards in ICE detention by creating layered responsibilities, financial incentives to cut costs, and variable application of the highest detention ...

Jan 8, 2026

What oversight mechanisms exist in Congress or DHS to audit ICE training quality and outcomes?

Congressional committees, individual senators, and DHS internal offices each have tools to review ICE training and outcomes—ranging from hearings, document requests and facility visits to statutory in...

Dec 12, 2025

How do 2025 ICE detainee deaths compare to previous years (2018–2024)?

Deaths in ICE custody surged sharply in fiscal year (FY) 2025: multiple counts place the toll at roughly 20–23 deaths in FY2025, the highest single-year total since 2004 when 32 deaths were recorded (...