It's official: December was the deadliest month for immigrants in ICE custody since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
This year is already the deadliest for those in ICE custody since 2004. The trend continued in December with seven immigrants dying in ICE custody, including four who died within four days, according to death notices released by ICE. Three of the decedents were held in Texas institutions before their deaths. Four of the victims died within four days of each other.
Francisco Gaspar-AndrésA 48-year-old man from Guatemala died on December 3 after being held at the East Montana camp in Texas since September. In its notice, ICE noted that while “the cause of his death has not yet been determined, medical personnel attributed it to natural liver and kidney failure.” There's a new detention center at Fort Bliss. as reported have already violated dozens of federal immigration detention standards since accepting detainees in August.
Pete Sumalo MontejoA 72-year-old Filipino man with a previous conviction for child sexual abuse died on December 5 at the Montgomery Processing Center in Texas. ICE said Montejo suffered a number of illnesses during his time in custody: He was hospitalized in June for shortness of breath and hypoxia, and was hospitalized several times between July and November for illnesses such as anemia and septic shock caused by pneumonia.
Shiraz Fatehali SakhwaniA 48-year-old man from Pakistan died on December 6 after being held at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, since June. He was hospitalized in November due to low oxygen levels and tachycardia.
Jean Wilson BrutusThe 41-year-old Haitian, who was being held at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, died on December 12 “presumably of natural causes.” Immigrants were formerly held at Delaney Hall they said they were starving.
Fuad Said AbdulkadirA 46-year-old Eritrean man died in ICE custody on December 14 at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania. Sudden death of Abdulkadir as reported This is the second incident to occur at the facility this year and is currently under investigation by Pennsylvania State Police and the Clearfield County Coroner.
Delvin Francisco RodriguezThe 39-year-old Nicaraguan man was declared dead on December 14, just a day after he was scheduled to be deported. He was found unconscious and pulseless at the Adams County Detention Center in Colorado on December 4, transported to a medical facility and pronounced dead 10 days later.
Nenko Stanev GanchevA 56-year-old man from Bulgaria died in ICE custody on December 15 at the North Lake Processing Center in Michigan. Although ICE wrote that it suspected he died of natural causes, the cause of his death is under investigation.
ICE web page dedicated to Report of the death of a detainee lists only 15 deaths in 2025, not counting any deaths this month. However, as of October, at least 20 immigrants had already died in ICE custody, according to ICE. NPR.
ICE is required to release information about deaths in custody within 30 days.
