From January 2025 At least 16 people have been killed In ice detention centers – the highest number since 2020, when the epidemics highlighted the weaknesses of the system.
At the same time, the number of migrants passed in custody 60,000 in AugustNumber doubles last year. The expansion of detention centers belongs to an increase in deaths, indicating that the situation is not ready for pressure. The official reporting about “safe oversite” does not match reality, pointing to a difference between the number of arrests and the capacity of the centers and employees, even to provide basic care.
In 2024, 13 deaths were recorded in custody, with an average of around 35,000 people – around 3.7 per 10,000 prisoners. In 2025, with doubling detention numbers of over 60,000, 16 deaths come at 2.7 per 10,000 by September. If the trend occurs, the annual rate can reach 10,000 per 4.0 per 4.0 by the end of the year, overtaking the previous year.
On paper, the rate looks the same, but the reality is different. A large system means more prevention of deaths. As the detention expands, stress on weak medical staffing and congested facilities guarantees that the whole number will continue to increase.
The main problem is clear: congestion. According to DHS, there are many centers Designed for 400 to 600 people But hold many more times. recent Behaviour Data suggest that about 25 percent of the facilities are working above the planned capacity, which means that there is not enough space, employee or timely medical care.
In DHS Inspection 2020 via 2020 Telling the same story: There were not enough doctors, delay in care, and contractors were failing basic standards. Reports describe cases where simple as high blood pressure or diabetes became something dangerous, as there was no time treatment. In a review, investigators found the lack of employees so poor that the intake examinations were abandoned or delayed by weeks. These are not isolated mistakes, but are systemic problems that are repeated.
Snow facility faces lack of severe medical staff, often leaves insufficient care for prisoners. The situation has worsened since 2023. When the centers grow faster than the infrastructure, the basic needs are left behind, and it feeds the deaths from chronic diseases or slow emergency reactions
The push to expand the custody follows the familiar argument of politics. For elections, voters look stronger than “soft” options such as large detention centers such as electronic monitoring. But DHS’s study in 2023 and 2024 already showed that options Very low cost And still there are rates of high court-mistake.
Nevertheless, federal officers choose detention as a demonstration of force. Especially in Texas and Florida, the Building Detention Center is a standard strategy that corresponds to the preferences of Republican voters and is widely supported localized. In electoral logic, crowded centers and visible removals play better than cool figures on the ankle monitor, even if the results are the same.
It is a big money to take immigrants into custody. Each captive $ 125–165 daily nets, a grown advantage model is banged by Republican strongholds such as Texas and Florida, in which the deaths prevented are considered as the collateral damage to the “difficult” immigration policy. In an increase in Ice’s prevention, private firms such as Geo Group and Corecivic converted grief to millions of dollars. Jio Group announced $ 133 million in profit in the first two quarters of 2025,
2025 in snow Requested Another $ 2 billion for expansion, including 34,000 additional Nirodh bed. At the same time, Behaviour The report showed that the agency already had options, which average cost, $ 8.36 per day compared to $ 157 For custody.
Focusing so many beds in southern states depends on private contractors, where every new contract becomes an incentive to keep the congestion alive and risk the lives of more immigrants.
Artem kolisnichenko writes on crime, immigration and border policy in the American South and South -West.
