By Maribel Velazquez
He Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) will stop reporting deaths of people who have been released from custody, even if the death occurs within 30 days of their release from a detention center.
The measure reverses a policy implemented during the Joe Biden administration, which forced the agency to review and report on all deaths involving persons who had been in federal custody, including those that occurred after his release.
The change comes at a time of increasing scrutiny over conditions in immigration detention centers and the increase in deaths linked to the federal detention system.
DHS defends the measure
A spokesperson for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained to ABC Info that, under the new policy, ICE will no longer be responsible for monitoring or investigating the deaths of people once they have formally left its custody.
“ANDThis is common sense. ICE is not responsible when a person dies weeks after leaving their custody,” the official said.
The authorities maintain that The agency will continue to report and review deaths that occur while a person is detained.and they ensure that the commitment to transparency remains in force.
Debate grows over deaths in detention centers
The modification occurs while legislators, civil organizations and immigrant advocates question the number of deaths recorded in immigration custody.
According to data cited by the same medium, 49 people have died in ICE custody since the start of President Donald Trump’s second terma figure that has generated concern among human rights groups.
Furthermore, an analysis carried out by the American network concluded that The first 14 months of the staunch administration represent one of the periods with the most deaths within the federal immigration detention system in recent years, second only to 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted detention facilities.
The decision to eliminate post-release reporting could intensify the debate over oversight and accountability within the immigration system, especially as detention and deportation policies continue to take center stage on the national agenda.
Keep reading:
- Immigration courts use “summary hearings” to expedite deportations
- Markwayne Mullin confronts Senate Democrats as criticism grows over ICE actions
