An AP investigation finds ICE detention centers repeatedly violate its own standards, with delayed mental health care, inadequate monitoring of at‑risk detainees, access to self‑harm materials, and multiple deaths across facilities run by private contractors and sheriff’s offices.

ICE contends suicide in custody is rare, citing screening and mental health protocols, annual prevention training, and access to healthcare for detainees.

The deaths span CoreCivic, GEO Group facilities, a camp run by an inexperienced contractor later replaced, sheriff‑run jails, and a federal prison, signaling widespread oversight gaps.

Beyond the lead case of Brayan Rayo Garzon, the report documents distressed detainees—often after border crossings or for non‑violent offenses—who requested help, showed signs of distress, or were isolated prior to death.

The suicides are tied to broader pressures: fear of removal, legal uncertainty, limited attorney access, and the strain of Trump‑era detentions on immigrant populations.

Most decedents were Hispanic men with an average age around 32; several had little or no prior violent crime records and had been detained for only days or weeks.

Brayan Rayo Garzon, 27, at a Missouri jail, did not receive intake screening for 35 hours, contracted COVID‑19, was denied mental health appointments, and died by suicide after isolation and being unable to contact his mother.

Rayo’s case highlights language barriers, COVID‑19 isolation, and delayed care; his final message to his mother underscored barriers to care and concern.

AP reports a surge in ICE detainee suicides, with at least 10 deaths since January 2025, the highest in a fiscal year, representing nearly one‑fifth of custody deaths in early 2025.

Experts warn the rising suicides reflect broader neglect in detention conditions, including inadequate screening, delayed treatment, and isolating practices amid detainees’ extreme stress and deportation fears.

Case vignettes illustrate systemic gaps: language barriers, isolation, and delayed or unavailable mental health care contributing to preventable deaths.

Cases involve detainees from Mexico, Nicaragua and others; many faced immigration‑related distress, isolation, or harassment affecting mental health.