Department of Homeland Security Launches Investigations into ICE Treatment of Detainees
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security’s watchdog agency announced on Thursday the initiation of two new reviews focused on how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) handles detained immigrants. This announcement was made public on the inspector general’s website.
Investigating Deaths and Use of Force
One of the investigations will specifically look into the rising number of deaths among ICE detainees. The second review will assess whether ICE facilities are complying with standards concerning the appropriate use of force during interactions with detainees.
Rising Mortality Rates in Custody
These new investigations come in the wake of an alarming increase in immigrant deaths while in ICE custody, including a recent case at Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, ruled a homicide and now under FBI investigation, according to DHS officials.
Current Death Toll and Reactions
According to ICE statistics, 20 individuals have died in custody so far in 2026, while 33 fatalities were reported in the previous year and 11 in 2024. Earlier on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin faced questions regarding this “historically high death rate” from Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) during a House Appropriations Committee hearing.
Defending Custody Conditions
In response to Underwood’s concerns, Mullin disputed the characterization of a high death rate, arguing that the comparison should include state prison statistics, where individuals are twice as likely to die in custody. He labeled Underwood’s assertions as potentially dangerous accusations.
Focus on Detainee Deaths
The DHS Inspector General clarified that this new review of detainee deaths is necessary due to a consistent increase in ICE detainee fatalities each fiscal year since 2022. The investigation aims to determine if “institutional factors, policies, and processes” contributed to these deaths during the timeframe of October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2026.
Changes in Reporting Policies
In a recent policy shift, ICE altered how it reports detainee deaths, now only including fatalities occurring during the time a detainee is physically in custody. Detainees who fall ill and subsequently die in a hospital will no longer be counted in ICE’s statistics. As reported, at least 11 detainees died in hospitals in 2026.
Latest Incident Under Investigation
This week, ICE also reported the death of Felix Alcorta Rodriguez, a 63-year-old man from Mexico, while he was at the Webb County Detention Center in Laredo, Texas. The cause of death remains under autopsy, as the agency continues to examine the circumstances surrounding these fatalities.
Review of Use-of-Force Policies
The Inspector General’s new review focusing on use-of-force practices comes on the heels of an earlier DHS IG report, which identified multiple violations at Louisiana jails, including a prohibited chokehold and an incident where a guard stabbed a detainee with a pen during a confrontation.
