Suicides under ICE custody have reached unprecedented levels since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, according to an investigation released by the Associated Press (AP).
According to the AP investigation, which points to alleged failures in supervision and the care provided to detainees, at least 10 people have committed suicide since January 2025, when Trump resumed office and ordered an increase in the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Since October alone, seven suicides have been recorded, the highest number in a single fiscal year since the agency’s creation about two decades ago.
Historically, ICE recorded only one or zero suicide cases per year, according to the data analyzed by the American news agency.
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The investigation also concludes that the increase in suicides outpaces the growth of the ICE detention population and that these deaths represent nearly 20% of the 51 deaths recorded under the agency’s custody since January 2025.
Experts cited by the AP point out deficiencies in psychological monitoring, prevention mechanisms, and supervision within the detention centers.
In response to the criticism, the acting assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Lauren Bies, noted that suicides under ICE custody remain “extremely rare.”
According to Bies, detention center staff follow protocols designed to protect detainees showing signs of self-harm and receive annual training in suicide prevention.
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The official added that detainees have access to comprehensive medical care, including mental health services.
The tightening of immigration policies by the Trump administration, relaunched after the Republican leader’s return to the White House, has been targeted by criticism from human rights organizations and migrant advocacy associations.
