At Least 11 Immigrants Dead in US Immigration Custody in Two Months

 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported that at least 11 immigrants died in its custody from January through early March 2026, marking a troubling continuation of high fatality rates in detention facilities.

The figure, confirmed by ICE in statements to media outlets including Reuters, covers deaths occurring over roughly the first two months of the year plus additional time into March. This comes after 2025 recorded 31 deaths in ICE custody a two-decade high amid expanded enforcement efforts under the current administration.

One of the most recent cases involved Emanuel Cleeford Damas, a Haitian national who died on March 2 at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. ICE took Damas into custody following his arrest on assault and battery charges in Boston in September 2025. Details on the cause of his death have not been fully disclosed publicly, but his passing adds to the growing list.

The deaths have sparked widespread concern among advocacy groups, lawmakers, and families, who point to issues like inadequate medical care, overcrowding, and limited oversight in detention centers. Critics argue that many fatalities appear preventable, citing chronic understaffing of medical personnel, delays in treatment, and poor conditions in facilities run by ICE or its private contractors.

For context, January 2026 alone saw multiple reported deaths across states including Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and California. Among them were Luis Gustavo Núñez Caceres, a 42-year-old from Honduras who died on January 5 at the Joe Corley Processing Facility in Conroe, Texas, after issues related to chronic heart conditions. Another was Luis Beltran Yanez Cruz, a 68-year-old Honduran who had lived in the U.S. for 26 years; he passed away on January 6 at the Imperial Regional facility in Calexico, California. Families in these cases have sought answers, with some expressing frustration over the lack of timely information or perceived neglect.

Other incidents have raised even more serious questions. Reports from facilities like the Camp East Montana tent site at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas one of the largest detention operations have included a death ruled a homicide by autopsy due to asphyxia from neck and torso compression. ICE described it differently, citing a suicide attempt and resistance during intervention, but the conflicting accounts have fueled demands for independent investigations.

Advocacy organizations such as the American Immigration Council and Detention Watch Network have highlighted how the surge aligns with record detention numbers and aggressive enforcement policies. In late 2025 and into 2026, ICE facilities held tens of thousands, often exceeding capacity, with a significant portion of detainees having no criminal convictions. This strain, combined with reported cuts to medical provider payments and reduced congressional access for oversight, has contributed to what some describe as deteriorating conditions.

Democratic lawmakers, including Senator John Hickenlooper and others, have sent letters to Department of Homeland Security leadership expressing alarm over the trend. They have called for greater accountability, detailed death investigations, and improvements to medical standards and staffing. In one instance, over 20 senators condemned the rise and demanded responses on protocols to prevent future incidents.

ICE maintains that it prioritizes detainee health and safety, with policies requiring timely reporting of deaths including notifications within hours and public releases within days. The agency stresses that each death prompts review and that facilities must follow established protocols. Still, the pace of fatalities following 32 in 2025 according to some tallies has drawn comparisons to previous peaks and prompted calls for systemic reform.

Families of those who have died continue to grieve and seek closure, often through public appeals or fundraising efforts to cover costs and push for justice. As investigations into individual cases proceed, the pattern has intensified debate over immigration detention practices, medical care in custody, and the human cost of enforcement operations.