Eighteenth US ICE detainee dies in custody this year so far

A 33-year-old Cuban man, Denny Adan Gonzalez, has died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, with the agency attributing his death to suicide. According to Physicians for Human Rights, this is the fifth reported case of a death by suicide in ICE custody this year, bringing the total number of deaths in US immigration custody to 18 since January.

Gonzalez was arrested on December 12, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and transferred to the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. He had previously been expelled from the US but re-entered without documentation in 2022. On Tuesday, Gonzalez was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The death has raised concerns about the need for increased oversight in ICE custody. Physicians for Human Rights stated that the agency’s system, which includes widespread solitary confinement, contributes to an “increasing pattern of suicides”. The organization warned that this trend is concerning given the well-documented evidence of the psychological harms caused by solitary confinement.

ICE has responded to concerns about its detention facilities, stating that it is committed to providing safe and secure environments for those in custody. However, critics argue that the agency’s oversight mechanisms are inadequate, citing a lack of transparency and accountability.

The death of Gonzalez is part of a broader trend of rising deaths in ICE custody, with 33 confirmed last year. The number of people detained by ICE has surged under President Trump’s administration, reaching a high of over 70,000 in January this year.

Source: Al Jazeera