14 Immigrants Lose Lives in ICE Custody This Year
In a grim statistic, 14 individuals have died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this year, including a Mexican man discovered unresponsive last week at a facility near Los Angeles, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security.
By mid-February, ICE was detaining over 68,000 immigrants, marking one of the highest figures recorded. This number is subject to change as individuals are deported or newly apprehended.
Comparatively, ICE documented 33 deaths in custody in 2025 and 11 in 2024, indicating a concerning trend.
Under the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies aimed at expanding detention capacity for mass deportations, facilities have faced significant challenges, including outbreaks of disease and severe overcrowding.
Recently, Homeland Security switched contractors at its largest immigrant detention center located at Fort Bliss, Texas, merely seven months after its inauguration.
The tent facility known as Camp East Montana has encountered numerous issues, beginning with a fatal construction incident and three detainee deaths within a short span of six weeks, one of which was classified as homicide. Additionally, there have been reported outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles.
In response to incidents involving the deaths of U.S. citizens during deportation operations in Minnesota, the Trump administration announced a shift in its deportation strategy, emphasizing the arrest and removal of immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
On March 25, Jose Guadalupe Ramos-Solano was found unresponsive in his bunk at a California facility after being convicted of possession of a controlled substance and theft. ICE reported that staff attempted CPR and other emergency measures before he was transported to Victor Valley Global Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
During a press conference on Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico would implement stronger measures to protest this latest death, particularly focusing on the Los Angeles area. "We will take several actions to protest the death of another Mexican, one of our fellow citizens, in the United States," she declared.
Ramos-Solano had been arrested by ICE on February 23 and placed in the Adelanto detention center. During his intake screening, he was diagnosed with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. According to ICE, he received routine medical care while in custody, including daily medication for his health conditions.
The cause of Ramos-Solano’s death has not yet been disclosed, and inquiries directed at Homeland Security officials regarding this matter have gone unanswered.
