The Trump administration’s mass deportation effort has led to a record number of immigrants being held in federal detention centers, local jails, and private prisons, creating a public health crisis marked by inadequate medical care. According to a review of more than 200 pages of detainee lawsuits, published research, and congressional investigations by Democrats, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is violating standards that ensure immigrants receive initial medical screenings, routine health care, and timely responses to physical complaints.
The number of immigrants in detention swelled from about 40,000 in November 2023 to a record 73,000 people in mid-January, according to the American Immigration Council. This surge has been paired with a weakening of oversight and infrastructure. The Trump administration cut staff at the DHS Immigration Detention Ombudsman office, effectively shuttering most of its operations, and facilities face lengthy delays in processing detainee health payment claims. The Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center, which previously processed claims for off-site care such as oncology treatments or dialysis, terminated its contract in October. A new claims processor, Acentra Health, was retained but will not process claims until April 30.
Democratic members of Congress have documented systemic failures. Rep. Kelly Morrison, a physician who visited a detention facility at Fort Snelling, reported it had no medical policy and “no real” on-site medical care, describing conditions as “chaotic, disorganized, and frankly dangerous.” Rep. Jasmine Crockett stated “the treatment these people are suffering under right now is worse than those who are accused and sometimes even convicted of crimes.”
Health emergencies have emerged across facilities. DHS locked down the Dilley Immigration Processing Center this month after two detainees contracted measles, with the facility housing children vulnerable to severe complications. Three measles cases were recently reported at a facility in Florence, Arizona. ICE reports six detainees died in custody so far in 2026, with 32 deaths in 2025 and 11 in 2024, though House Democrats claim 53 people have died in ICE or CBP custody since Trump took office. On February 10, a federal judge ordered ICE and DHS to provide adequate health care to detainees and conduct external monitoring, including on-site inspections.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/23/health/detained-immigrants-medical-care-democrats