Entrance to Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas. Sergio Martinez-Beltran/NPR
Sergio Martinez Beltran/NPR
The number of immigrants who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody has reached an alarming new high this year. Official data indicates that 29 individuals have lost their lives while in ICE detention since the federal fiscal year commenced in October, surpassing the previous record of 28 deaths set in 2004.
The latest case involves Aled Damian Carbonell Betancourt, a 27-year-old Cuban man found unresponsive in his Miami cell on April 12, 2025. An initial report from ICE, released on April 16, categorized the cause of death as “presumed suicide,” although a definitive ruling is still pending further investigation.
Carbonell Betancourt entered the United States without valid documentation in 2024 and was subsequently released under a humanitarian parole program. However, he was arrested in 2025 on charges of resisting an officer with violence, leading to his detention by ICE earlier this year.
This surge in deaths coincides with a significant increase in detentions during the Trump administration, where detentions rose by over 70% compared to the first year of President Biden’s tenure. The prior administration implemented a stringent approach to immigration enforcement, indiscriminately detaining many individuals, including those without criminal records and those protected from deportation.
At present, approximately 60,000 individuals are held in immigration detention facilities across the country. In response to inquiries about the rising death toll, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has asserted that the increase is a direct consequence of the larger population within its custody. As of mid-April, DHS reported that the death rate among detainees was 0.009%. Furthermore, the agency stated that individuals in custody are receiving medical care, with claims that this may be the best healthcare many have received in years.
During a recent Congressional hearing, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons attributed the record death toll to the highest volume of detentions since ICE’s establishment in 2003. Lyons revealed that the agency allocated around $500 million last fiscal year to ensure detainees receive the necessary healthcare and reiterated that medical checkups are mandated within 14 days of detention.
Highest Death Rates Observed in Texas and California
The Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California and Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, each recorded the highest number of detainee fatalities, with six deaths attributed to factors including suicide, alcohol withdrawal, and organ failure. Notably, one death at Camp East Montana was ruled a homicide by local authorities.
Gerardo Lunas Campos, who died in custody, initially experienced “medical distress,” according to DHS. Although the agency claimed he was disruptive while awaiting medication and was subsequently isolated, the El Paso Medical Examiner later ruled his death a homicide caused by asphyxia. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently probing this incident. Lunas Campos, who immigrated to the United States during the 1990s Cuban exodus, is survived by three children who are now pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit and seeking witness testimonies.
This dramatic rise in fatalities within ICE custody raises critical questions about the treatment and well-being of detained immigrants amid a tumultuous political and social landscape.
