Deaths in US immigration custody must be investigated: UN rights chief

(UN News) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday called for stronger independent oversight of the United States immigration detention system and investigations into all deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. “Those responsible for violations of the law must be held to account, and the rights of the victims’ families to truth, justice and reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence must be upheld,” Mr. Türk said in a statement. Mr. Türk’s call comes as 18 people died while in ICE detention in the first five months of this year, an increase from eight people in the same period last year, according to ICE data. The US agency reported an additional death on 4 June, bringing this year’s current total to 19 deaths. In 2025, 33 people died in ICE custody, compared with 11 in 2024. There have been “concerning allegations regarding the use of force” in US immigration detention facilities, and five of the officially reported deaths in 2026 were classified as suicides, Mr. Türk wrote. – Deaths in US immigration custody must be investigated: UN rights chief | UN News