A 52-year-old Mexican citizen, Jose Guadalupe Ramos, died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Adelanto immigration detention center in California in late March, prompting his family to demand answers and accountability.

Ramos had been detained at the Adelanto facility for a month before his death. His partner of nearly four decades, Antonia Tovar, last spoke to him via video call hours before he was pronounced dead. This incident occurs amid a significant increase in deaths within ICE custody, raising concerns among families and human rights advocates.

Tovar, who had been with Ramos since they were teenagers, expressed her grief and frustration, stating she believes officials at the Adelanto center failed to prevent his death. She recounted their shared dreams of growing old together and caring for grandchildren, a future now lost. The couple emigrated from Guanajuato, Mexico, in the mid-1990s seeking a better life in the United States.

The rising number of deaths in ICE detention has coincided with President Donald Trump's administration's focus on mass deportation. Since the start of Trump's second term, an estimated over 405,700 individuals have been booked into ICE detention, with reports of daily arrest quotas aimed at executing a large-scale deportation operation.

Sharon Dolovich, a professor of law at UCLA and director of the Behind Bars Data Project, is among the experts monitoring these trends. Her project compiles data on deaths in ICE detention. While the absolute number of deaths has increased, her team is working to determine if the mortality rate has also risen in proportion to the growing number of detainees.

In 2025, at least 32 individuals died in ICE custody, a substantial increase from the 11 reported deaths in 2024. Experts suggest that the rate of deaths in the current year is on track to surpass previous records, indicating a potentially worsening situation.

Tovar's daughter, Gloria Ramos, also spoke at a news conference, amplifying the family's call for transparency and justice. The family's demand for answers underscores broader concerns about the conditions and oversight within ICE detention facilities across the country.

The Behind Bars Data Project aims to provide a comprehensive public record of these deaths, contributing to discussions on immigration policy and detention practices. The ongoing analysis seeks to understand the factors contributing to this increase and to hold relevant authorities accountable for the well-being of individuals in their care.