UN rights chief demands accountability for 23 deaths in US immigration custody in 2026

Volker Turk, the United Nations human rights chief, has urged for accountability after 23 individuals died while in US immigration custody in 2026. On Monday, he called for Washington to cease deportations to nations where people are at risk of 'irreparable harm' and expressed concern over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) potentially providing agents with electric shock gloves. These fatalities, occurring during a crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration, have faced backlash from human rights groups. A report from Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights, published in June, revealed that ICE custody deaths have surged to their highest rate in over ten years. Turk also highlighted issues with US immigration enforcement, such as returning migrants to perilous areas and countries with which they lack ties. His statements reflect increasing global scrutiny of US immigration practices and their humanitarian consequences.