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The United Nations (UN) has called for independent investigations into dozens of deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and urged authorities to take swift action to prevent more deaths. The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, called for the investigations on Friday.
The UN human rights office says at least 52 people have died in ICE detention facilities since US President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025 and launched a tougher immigration crackdown.
During the first five months of the year, 18 people died in ICE detention, with another death reported in June, the office said, while 33 deaths were registered in 2025, compared to 11 in 2024.
“I call for prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into all deaths in ICE custody,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement, which also called for “prompt action to prevent further loss of life”.
Turk added that the lack of transparency and clarity surrounding the circumstances of the deaths weakens accountability.
“Those responsible for violations of the law must be held to account, and the rights of the victims’ families to truth, justice and reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence must be upheld,” he said.
Trump has made tackling illegal immigration a key focus of his second term, with authorities arresting thousands of migrants and expanding detention centres.
A joint report released on Thursday by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights said the number of deaths in ICE custody has reached its highest level in more than 10 years during the immigration crackdown.
