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According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ten detainees have died in ICE custody this year, a notable increase compared to previous years.
This year’s death toll already surpasses the total deaths in five of the last six fiscal years, with four months still remaining. The only exception is fiscal year 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw 21 deaths. For comparison, there were four deaths in 2023, three in 2022, five in 2021, eight in 2019, and six in 2018. An ICE spokesperson emphasized the agency’s commitment to detainee safety, stating, “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout their stay.”
Recent deaths include Hugo Boror Urla, a 39-year-old Guatemalan, and Cambric Dennis, a 44-year-old Liberian. Boror Urla died on May 22 after a month in custody at Calhoun County Jail in Michigan, while Dennis died on May 21 at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, where he awaited removal after a conviction. The official causes of death for both men are still pending. They are among six who have died since January, with ICE’s average daily population rising to 37,835 this year from 28,289 in 2023.
Advocates have strongly criticized the conditions within ICE detention centers. Azadeh Shahshahani from Project South has called the increase “appalling” and has blamed the deaths on privatized detention facilities. She said, “What we have seen is ongoing abuse, ongoing human rights violations and ongoing deaths.” Project South has called for the release of all detainees in ICE facilities who have health issues.
Another view:
ICE maintains that private detention contractors are essential for its operations. Without them, they argue it would not be able to uphold its immigration enforcement mission within the United States successfully.
