Suicides rise in ICE detention, 911 calls detail serious cases of self-harm
Emergency calls from ICE detention centers have surged, highlighting serious mental health issues among detainees. Over 1,000 calls were made in the past year, with 28 involving self-harm incidents. The number of suicides in detention facilities has reached a two-decade high, raising concerns about the treatment of immigrants.
- ▪More than 1,000 emergency calls were made from ICE detention centers in the last year.
- ▪Five deaths by suicide have been reported in detention facilities so far this year, the highest in two decades.
- ▪The number of detainees has doubled under the Trump administration, contributing to increased self-harm incidents.
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EXCLUSIVEImmigrationImmigrationSuicides rise in ICE detention, 911 calls detail serious cases of self-harmMore than 1,000 emergency calls were made over the last year from at least six detention centers around the country, according to call logs obtained by NBC News.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00South Texas ICE Processing Center.Google mapsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 21, 2026, 5:00 PM EDTBy Laura Strickler, Julia Ainsley and Helen GrahamFour days before Christmas at an ICE detention center in Texas, a 33-year-old pregnant immigrant started banging her head against a wall.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Guards tried to get her into a vehicle to take her to the hospital, according to documents…
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