At least 10 people have died while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) so far in 2026, following the death of a Haitian national in Arizona under circumstances that allegedly involved a denial of medical attention.

According to reports, Emmanuel Damas, 56, an asylum seeker from Haiti, died after failing to receive treatment for a dental infection following four months of detention at the Florence Processing Center.

Damas's death occurred less than a week after a similar case. Alberto Gutiérrez, 48, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, was arrested by ICE agents on January 9 in Los Angeles. Days after his detention, he began experiencing serious health complications, exacerbated by the extreme weather conditions recorded across the United States during that period. According to his family's testimony, Gutiérrez requested medical attention on multiple occasions and was denied care each time. He died in the early hours of February 27.

The Mexican national had been held for nearly two months at the ICE Processing Center in Adelanto, California.

U.S. lawmakers have linked the rise in these deaths to the aggressive mass deportation policies advanced by the administration of President Donald Trump. By the end of 2025, ICE had reported 32 deaths in its facilities — the highest figure recorded in a single year since 2004, according to data cited by local media outlets.

Legislative documentation reflected that multiple lines of evidence suggest several of these fatal outcomes could have been prevented.