Inspections of ICE detention centers in the US are decreasing while immigrant deaths in custody are increasing, according to official data

In the first months of 2026, at least 13 people who were in ICE custody have already been reported dead, but what is most concerning is that during 2025 there were another 31 deaths, the highest figure in the last two decades. These numbers have reopened the debate about medical care, detention conditions, and federal oversight in these facilities. Recent investigations reveal that this increase coincides with a sharp drop in federal inspections of detention centers.