The United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk expressed concern about the high number of deaths in US immigration custody, stating that 23 people have died in 2026 alone. This represents a significant increase from previous years amid President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. The UN rights chief is calling for accountability and urging Washington to halt deportations to places where migrants may face harm, specifically mentioning Haiti as one example. Additionally, Türk voiced alarm over ICE plans to equip agents with electric shock gloves at a cost of $10-20 million, which he warned would increase violence associated with immigration operations.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
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Story summary
Volker Türk, the United Nations human rights chief, is calling for accountability after at least 23 people died in US immigration custody in 2026. This marks a significant increase, with four more deaths reported since Türk's last update to the UN Human Rights Council in June. The total number of deaths in 2026 is now 23, with a joint report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights citing that this is the highest level of deaths in over a decade due to Trump's crackdown on immigration. Türk also expressed concern about the planned use of electric shock gloves by ICE agents, which he believes will only increase violence associated with their operations. The plan to purchase these gloves, estimated to cost between $10-20 million, is part of a broader effort to expand detention centers and round up thousands of people deemed to be in the US illegally.
Written for “US Immigration Detention Controversy” on 2026-09-07,
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 6702 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-07
A joint report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights in June said that the rate of people dying in ICE custody has reached its highest level in over a decade amid Trump's crackdown.
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rate → say → crackdown
The United Nations human rights chief demanded accountability for swelling numbers of deaths in US immigration custody on Monday, urging Washington to halt deportations to places where people face "irreparable harm."
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people → demand → harm
Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council, Volker Türk highlighted that "four more people have died in US immigration custody since my last update to this council" in June.
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people → speak → June
That meant there had been "a total of 23 deaths in 2026 alone," he said, insisting that "there needs to be accountability for these deaths."
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he → mean → deaths
US President Donald Trump has made combating illegal immigration a top priority of his second term, with authorities rounding up thousands of people and expanding detention centres.
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authorities → make → centres
A joint report by Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights in June said that the rate of people dying in ICE custody has reached its highest level in over a decade amid Trump's crackdown.
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rate → say → crackdown
The UN rights chief also called out a range of other US immigration enforcement practices, including forcing migrant returns to dangerous places and to countries they had no connection to.
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they → call → connection
"I urge the United States to halt the return of people to places where they could suffer irreparable harm, including Haiti, and to ensure due process for all removals to third countries," he told the council.
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he → urge → council
Türk also voiced alarm at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency's reported plans to "equip immigration agents with electric shock gloves" warning this would "increase the violence associated with their operations."
The plan to purchase the shock gloves, which was first reported by the Associated Press news agency, calls for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the ICE parent agency, to spend between $10-20 million (€8-17 million) on what are described as "distraction and de-escalation" devices.
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what → voice → devices
ICE has come in for criticism for a series of fatal shootings during enforcement operations, including those of two American citizens in Minnesota in January who were involved in anti-ICE protests.
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who → come → protests
Critics have focused on the forceful tactics used by ICE agents in rounding up migrants and on an alleged lowering of the standards of training for new recruits.
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Critics → focus → recruits
