WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported four additional fatalities among detainees over the past week, pushing the death toll for 2025 to a peak not seen in twenty years.
The individuals, hailing from Haiti, Nicaragua, Eritrea, and Bulgaria, passed away between December 12 and 15. ICE indicated that investigations are ongoing, with two deaths linked to medical emergencies and two attributed to natural causes.
Republican President Donald Trump has advocated for large-scale deportations of unauthorized immigrants, leading to a significant expansion of ICE detention. By late November, approximately 66,000 people were held in custody.
This year, at least 30 detainees have died in ICE facilities, according to agency records. With 12 days still left in 2025, this figure marks the highest annual count since 2004.
"ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments," the agency stated in a release addressing one of the recent deaths.
Democratic lawmakers voiced strong criticism on Thursday, holding the Trump administration accountable for the fatalities. "ICE has a responsibility to take care of these people, something they are clearly disregarding," said U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, whose district covers much of Seattle. "This is beyond horrifying."
In a related development, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the administration cannot prevent congressional members from conducting surprise inspections at immigration detention centers. Democrats had filed a lawsuit arguing that such visits are legally protected and essential for oversight.
Following the court's decision, Democratic U.S. Representative Dan Goldman inspected an ICE facility in Lower Manhattan, New York City, on Friday.
