Fact Check: "The highest number of deaths in ICE custody was 12 in one year."
What We Know
The claim that "the highest number of deaths in ICE custody was 12 in one year" is misleading. According to a recent study that analyzed deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention from Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 to FY 2023, there were 12 deaths reported during this three-year period (Buchanan et al., 2024) [source-1]. However, this does not indicate that 12 deaths occurred in a single year; rather, it reflects the total across multiple years.
In FY 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of deaths in ICE custody was significantly higher, with 21 deaths reported (NBC News, 2023) [source-4]. The data shows that the annual death toll in ICE custody has fluctuated over the years, with 4 deaths in FY 2023, 3 in FY 2022, and 5 in FY 2021 (NBC News, 2023) [source-4]. This indicates that the claim does not accurately represent the historical context of deaths in ICE custody.
Analysis
The claim is factually incorrect when interpreted to mean that 12 deaths occurred in a single year. The study by Buchanan et al. (2024) provides a comprehensive overview of deaths in ICE custody, indicating that the total number of deaths from FY 2021 to FY 2023 was 12, but this figure does not reflect a single year's total (source-1).
In contrast, the highest annual death toll recorded was during FY 2020, when 21 individuals died in ICE custody, primarily due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic (NBC News, 2023) [source-4]. This discrepancy highlights the importance of context when discussing mortality rates in ICE facilities.
The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the study published in a peer-reviewed journal and the NBC News report being a reputable news outlet. Both provide data derived from official ICE reports and public health analyses. The study's methodology involved extracting data from ICE's publicly available death reports, ensuring a reliable basis for the findings (Buchanan et al., 2024) [source-1].
Conclusion
The claim that "the highest number of deaths in ICE custody was 12 in one year" is False. The highest annual death toll in ICE custody occurred in FY 2020 with 21 deaths, while the total of 12 deaths reported from FY 2021 to FY 2023 reflects a cumulative figure over three years, not a single year. This misrepresentation of data underscores the need for careful interpretation of statistics related to mortality in immigration detention.
Sources
- Deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ... (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11007418/)
- Detainee Death Reporting - ICE (https://www.ice.gov/detain/detainee-death-reporting)
- ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Statistics (https://www.ice.gov/statistics)
- The number of deaths in ICE custody is already more than double all of ... (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/number-deaths-ice-custody-already-double-last-year-rcna154659)
- Situs Bokep Indo Terbaru - BOKEPXXI (https://bokepxxi.app/category/bokep-indo/)
- Deaths at Adult Detention Centers (https://www.aila.org/library/deaths-at-adult-detention-centers)
- Tom Homan downplays deaths in ICE detention centers as numbers grow - MSNBC (https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/ice-deaths-detention-centers-tom-homan-rcna216247)
- ICE criticized after 11th death in facility since Oct - The Hill (https://thehill.com/policy/international/5374028-migrant-deaths-in-ice-custody-canadian-citizen-florida/)