As immigrant deaths in custody grow, ICE reduces what details are made public

Amid record immigrant deaths in custody, ICE reduces what details are made public

Until late last year, when an immigrant died in a U.S. detention center, Immigration and Customs Enforcement would release a detailed three-page report on the circumstances. As the number of detainee deaths swelled, those reports have been cut to four-paragraph summaries.

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Agency policy had been that ICE notified the public and Congress within two days of a detainee’s death, and then within 90 days all reports about in-custody deaths were posted on ICE's website.

The information typically included detailed timelines, with timestamps of medical observations, regular medications, emergency medications administered and the times and causes of death.