New ACLU Report Details Civil Rights Violations, Alleged Abuse During Immigration Enforcement Actions

NJ state police arrest protesters outside Delaney Hall, which is being used as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, during a curfew, in Newark, New Jersey, on May 31, 2026. The mayor of the New Jersey city declared a curfew Sunday around a migrant detention center after another night of clashes between police and protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's immigration policies. New Jersey state authorities announced on May 29 they were taking charge of security outside a US immigration detention center after clashes between ICE agents and protesters angered by conditions faced by detainees inside. (Credit: Photo by EDUARDO MUNOZ / AFP via Getty Images)

A recent report published by the American Civil Liberties Union, based on more than 1,200 reported incidents involving federal, state and local law enforcement officers engaged in immigration enforcement across eight states, found that more than 50 people died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention during the second Trump administration between January and December 2025.

In addition to those reported deaths, the ACLU said at least eight other people were fatally shot by ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers. The report also documented law enforcement actions during immigration-related stops and arrests, identifying 375 incidents involving the use or threat of force. Of those, 241 involved physical force, while 128 involved threatened force, including the brandishing of weapons or verbal threats to use them.