Investigation into Death Rates in Immigration Detention Centers

Fault Lines conducted an investigation into the increasing death rates in immigration detention centers, particularly following the policies of the Trump administration. In September 2025, Ismael Ayala-Uribe, a 39-year-old man, died one month after entering the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California. He was among more than 50 individuals who died in immigration custody during the first 500 days of Donald Trump's presidency. According to his family, Ayala-Uribe experienced severe pain and requested medical assistance, but received minimal treatment, primarily Tylenol. He was taken to a hospital where he died shortly after arrival. The investigation highlights the record number of immigrants detained under the Trump administration, the rising number of deaths in custody, failures in medical care and oversight, allegations of retaliation against hunger strikers, and the involvement of private prison companies in the expansion of immigration detention.