UN calls for ‘prompt investigations’ of deaths in US immigration custody

Summary

High commissioner for human rights calls for ‘those responsible for violations of the law’ to be held to account The United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, on Friday raised the alarm internationally about deaths in US government immigration custody and called for “prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations”. Türk’s call on Friday followed an announcement by the federal government’s Homeland Security watchdog office that it will be investigating deaths in ICE (immigration enforcement agency) custody and use of force on detainees in immigration jails. The report alleged “violations of ICE policy and international human rights law”. The US inspector general’s office within the DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security), meanwhile, announced the two separate investigations on Wednesday, after an increasing number of deaths in ICE custody and multiplying allegations of abuse and mismanagement inside ICE facilities. “We are conducting this evaluation because of an increase of detainee deaths in ICE custody each year since fiscal year 2022,” the DHS inspector general’s office said when announcing its internal investigation. Early in the administration, top Trump officials set a goal of 3,000 arrests per day , leading to a surge in ICE operations nationwide and protests in opposition to the harsh deportation campaign. The majority of ICE’s detention centers are run by private prison companies. He said that children should not be in immigration detention at all. On Friday a spokesperson for the agency said: “ICE is regularly audited and inspected by external agencies to ensure that all ICE facilities comply with performance-based national detention standards. The DHS inspector general’s office is the last watchdog left within the department. Türk on Friday urged “the full restoration and strengthening of independent oversight mechanisms for immigration detention.”.