At least 50 immigrants have died in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) since Donald Trump began his new presidential term and his campaign of mass deportations in January 2025, according to a Reuters analysis.

The investigation indicates that the mortality rate within immigration detention centers more than doubled compared to previous years, according to ICE's own records and data processed by justice analysis organizations.

Between 2009 and 2024, immigration detention centers recorded approximately one death for every 3,848 people detained, taking the average daily population as a reference. However, since Trump's return to the White House, the figure has increased to about one death for every 1,630 detainees, according to preliminary data collected through early June.

Deaths, medical care and questions within ICE centers

The agency's analysis documented cases of people who died inside immigration facilities from different causes, including cardiovascular problems, suicides and medical emergencies.

Among the cases reviewed is that of Tuan Van Bui, a 55-year-old Vietnamese man who died at the Miami Correctional Center in Indiana, known as “Speedway Slammer.” According to records reviewed by the aforementioned agency, other detainees asked for help when Bui collapsed, while questioning the response time to the emergency.

There is also the case of Chaofeng Ge, a Chinese national who was found dead in a shower at a detention center in Pennsylvania after having a history of attempting suicide.

Experts consulted pointed out that the causes of death can be complex and do not necessarily imply direct abuse or neglect on the part of the centers; However, they indicated that the increase in mortality raises questions about medical supervision and care available for detained people.

Sanjay Basu, an associate physician at the University of California, San Francisco and a specialist in deaths in custody, told Reuters that some cases reflect possible failures in monitoring physical and mental health.

ICE defends its medical protocols

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assured that it maintains standards of care for people in immigration custody.

“Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment people arrive and throughout their stay,” DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis told the agency.

The agency also noted that some deaths remain under investigation and that official reports include the circumstances known at the time of each death.

The data was obtained through public records collected by the Deportation Data Project and processed by the Vera Institute of Justice.