UN urges ‘accountability’ after 23 die in US immigration custody

The United Nations rights chief demanded Monday accountability for swelling numbers of deaths in US immigration custody, and urged Washington to halt deportations to places where people face “irreparable harm”.

“Four more people have died in US immigration custody since (June), for a total of 23 deaths in 2026 alone.

There needs to be accountability for these deaths,” Volker Turk said in an opening address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.