The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general announced on Thursday the initiation of two separate reviews concerning how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) manages migrants in its custody. According to a formal notice posted on the inspector general’s website, these investigations will specifically address the rising number of fatalities among detainees and whether ICE facilities are adhering to established standards regarding the use of force.
These inquiries arrive in the wake of an upward trend in migrant deaths while in government custody. Notably, this includes an incident at the Camp East Montana facility in El Paso, Texas, earlier this year, which authorities ruled a homicide and is currently being scrutinized by the FBI. Official ICE data indicates that 20 deaths have been recorded in detention centers during 2026, compared to 33 in the entirety of 2025 and 11 in 2024.
During a House Appropriations Committee hearing held on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin addressed concerns raised by Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-IL, regarding what she characterized as a “historically high death rate” at the facilities. Mullin disputed this assessment, describing the congresswoman’s inquiries as “dangerous accusations.” He asserted that the likelihood of death in an Illinois state penitentiary is twice that of an ICE detention center.
The inspector general noted that the decision to review detainee deaths stems from the consistent increase in mortality figures observed each fiscal year since 2022. The office intends to examine whether systemic policies or operational failures contributed to these deaths between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2026.
Controversy has also emerged surrounding a recent change in how ICE reports these fatalities. The agency previously documented deaths that occurred both inside facilities and within 30 days of a detainee’s release. Under the updated policy, ICE only tracks deaths occurring while the individual remains in physical custody, effectively excluding those who pass away in hospitals after becoming ill in detention. Data shows that at least 11 detainees died in hospitals during 2026 alone. Secretary Mullin defended this policy change, stating that reporting deaths after release “doesn’t make any sense” because those individuals are no longer under government supervision.
The latest recorded fatality involved 63-year-old Felix Alcorta-Rodriguez of Mexico, who passed away this week at the Webb County Detention Center in Laredo, Texas; an autopsy report is pending. Additionally, the inspector general’s new review into the use of force follows a report identifying two specific violations at a Louisiana detention center, including a prohibited chokehold and an incident where a staff member used a pen to stab a detainee.
