14 ICE detainees have died so far in 2026

In 2026, 14 people have died in ICE custody, including a Mexican man who was found unresponsive last week at a facility in Los Angeles.

So far this year, 14 people have died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, including a Mexican man who was found unresponsive last week at a facility outside Los Angeles, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security.

As of mid-February, ICE was holding more than 68,000 immigrants, among the highest numbers ever, according to federal data. The figure fluctuates as immigrants get deported and others are taken into custody.

In 2025, ICE reported 33 total in-custody deaths and in 2024 there were 11.

As the Trump administration has sought to drastically increase space to detain immigrants as part of its mass deportation campaign, holding facilities have struggled with disease and overcrowding.

Homeland Security recently changed contractors at its largest immigrant detention center at Fort Bliss outside El Paso, Texas, just seven months after it opened.