The death of a man arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota has renewed scrutiny of conditions inside federal detention facilities, as government data shows a sharp rise in detainee deaths alongside a record expansion of immigration custody nationwide.
ICE confirmed that Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, died Wednesday while being held at a federal detention site in El Paso, Texas, days after his arrest in Minneapolis. Agency officials said Diaz was found unresponsive inside his housing unit and later pronounced dead following emergency medical intervention.
ICE described the death as a “presumed suicide,” while emphasizing that the official cause remains under investigation.
Diaz, a Nicaraguan national, entered the United States in March 2024 and was released pending immigration proceedings before an immigration judge later ordered his removal, according to federal authorities. He was taken back into custody earlier this month as part of ICE enforcement operations.
The case follows confirmation by the Department of Homeland Security of a second death in federal immigration custody this week, involving a Mexican citizen held at a detention facility in Georgia. DHS said that individual was discovered unresponsive in his sleeping area and later died at a hospital.
Federal data indicates at least 15 individuals died while in ICE custody last year, as detention populations surged to historic levels. As of this week, ICE is holding approximately 73,000 people nationwide, an 84% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to internal DHS figures.
The spike comes as the Trump administration has signaled plans to further expand detention capacity, with officials stating the government is working toward the ability to hold up to 100,000 immigration detainees at any given time.
ICE has maintained that individuals in its facilities receive medical and mental health screenings shortly after arrival. However, immigration advocates and oversight groups have repeatedly raised concerns about detainee safety, access to care, and the strain placed on facilities amid rapid population growth.
The deaths remain under investigation, and no independent findings have yet been released.
