Four died in ICE custody this week as 2025 deaths reach 20-year high

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Four immigrants died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in the past week, according to the agency, as deaths in 2025 reached a two-decade high.

The four detainees, from Haiti, Nicaragua, Eritrea and Bulgaria, died between December 12 and 15, ICE notices said. While the incidents remain under investigation, ICE said two followed medical emergencies and two were believed to be the result of natural causes.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, has pushed for the mass deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally. To increase removals, his administration has ramped up ICE detention to record levels, with roughly 66,000 people detained as of late November.

At least 30 people have died in ICE detention this year, according to agency notices. The total for 2025 – which still has 12 days remaining – is the highest level since 2004, opens new tab, according to ICE statistics.

“ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments,” the agency said in a statement announcing one of the latest deaths.

Democrats on Thursday criticized the deaths in detention, blaming the Trump administration.

“ICE has a responsibility to take care of these people, something they are clearly disregarding,” said U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, whose district includes most of Seattle. “This is beyond horrifying.”

A federal judge on Wednesday said the Trump administration could not bar members of Congress from making unannounced visits to immigration detention centers. Democratic lawmakers had sued over the lack of access, saying the visits were protected under U.S. law and necessary for oversight.

Following the judge’s order, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman, a Democrat, on Friday visited an ICE holding facility in Lower Manhattan in New York City.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed the death of Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian national, who passed away on December 12 following a medical emergency at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey.

According to an official ICE press release issued December 18, Brutus was taken into federal custody on December 11 after being released from Union County Jail on unrelated local charges. He reportedly showed no signs of distress during intake processing and had no documented history of cardiovascular issues.

While in detention, Brutus experienced a sudden medical emergency. Facility staff and emergency responders performed lifesaving measures on site before transporting him to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead. ICE described the cause as “suspected natural causes,” pending final autopsy results.

Between December 12 and December 15, 2025, four individuals died in ICE custody.

This four-day window has been cited by advocacy groups and lawmakers as one of the deadliest periods in the agency’s history.

The four individuals are:

By REUTERS

Reporting by Ted Hesson and Susan Heavey; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Read more