Deaths in U.S. Immigration Detention Centers Raise Concerns

On January 7, 2026, a tragic incident was reported involving a Chinese immigrant found deceased after being taken into immigration detention in a U.S. territory. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Lianyong Wei was detained after allegations of attacking a family. This occurred in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Wei’s legal status had expired in 2019, leading to his detention for removal proceedings.

The 51-year-old was found unresponsive in the Saipan facility operated by the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Corrections. On August 23, at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, Wei was pronounced dead after attempts to revive him at the Commonwealth Health Care Corporation Emergency Room. This incident marks the 57th death of an immigrant detainee under government care since the start of President Trump’s second term. Notably, 24 deaths have occurred since January of the same year.

According to ICE, Wei was immediately provided life-sustaining interventions upon discovery. However, his official cause of death is still under investigation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mandates a health screening for all detainees within 12 hours of arrival. DHS has not confirmed if Wei received this evaluation, providing only a generalized statement that comprehensive medical care is available from intake throughout an individual’s stay.

Policy Changes and Other Cases

Recently, policy changes have affected the reporting of such incidents. The death of another detainee, Jose Chajon-Raxon, a Guatemalan man detained in Newark, New Jersey, remains uncounted in ICE’s official death tally. Chajon-Raxon experienced a medical emergency shortly after detention and was hospitalized. He was released from ICE custody four days later, but it remains unclear if he passed away on the release date.

Similarly, Prisciliano Trejo, a detainee suffering from leukemia and held at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, died five weeks following his arrest by ICE. Trejo’s family reported delays in receiving medical assistance, and by July 15, he fell into a coma and was subsequently released. He died on July 24.

In June, the Trump administration reversed a policy from the Biden era requiring death reports for cases occurring within 30 days post-custody. DHS articulated that ICE’s responsibility ceases once an individual leaves custody, asserting that deaths beyond detention are not within ICE’s oversight.