A claim circulating in June 2026 stated that the United Nations had demanded investigations into deaths occurring in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers.
This claim is a mixture of truth and falsehood.
What is true:
On June 26, 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, did call for independent investigations into the deaths of individuals in ICE custody. This statement was made in his capacity overseeing the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
What is false:
The United Nations as a whole did not make this demand. The intergovernmental organization’s member nations did not vote on any resolution or take any formal action to mandate independent investigations into ICE detention centers. The call for investigations originated from the High Commissioner for Human Rights in his official capacity, not from a collective decision of the U.N. member states.
What is undetermined:
It remains unclear whether Volker Türk has initiated or plans to initiate any direct, independent investigations into ICE custody deaths. Such actions would likely face significant hurdles without cooperation from the U.S. government.
The OHCHR, an expert body that offers recommendations to the United Nations, could theoretically conduct investigations, such as through fact-finding missions. However, this office does not possess the authority to compel the U.S. to take action based on its findings or to enforce cooperation with any investigation. It is important to distinguish the OHCHR from the U.N. Human Rights Council, which is composed of U.N. member states.
The spread of this claim may stem from news headlines that have conflated the U.N. human rights office with the United Nations organization as a whole. For instance, a headline from a UK-based media outlet stated, "UN calls for ‘prompt investigations’ of deaths in US immigration custody," while the article itself clarified that it was Türk who made the call.
This is not the first time Snopes has addressed similar claims that blur the lines between the OHCHR and the broader United Nations. Previously, a claim suggested that the U.N. had demanded an independent investigation into the January 2026 death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.
Statement from the Human Rights Commissioner:
On June 26, 2026, the OHCHR released a statement from Volker Türk titled, "US: Türk alarmed at deaths in ICE custody, calls for urgent preventive action." The statement began:
"GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday urged prompt action to prevent further loss of life in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and called for independent investigations into all deaths under ICE custody.
Türk said that it is alarming that, according to US Government official data, in the first five months of this year, 18 people had died in ICE detention. A further case of death in ICE custody has been reported this month. In 2025, a total of 33 deaths were registered, compared with 11 in 2024.
The lack of transparency and clarity surrounding the circumstances of these deaths in custody undermines accountability for them, the High Commissioner added.
‘I call for prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into all deaths in ICE custody. Those responsible for violations of the law must be held to account, and the rights of the victims’ families to truth, justice and reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence must be upheld,’ said Türk."
Türk also expressed concern regarding the U.S. use of solitary confinement and encouraged the exploration of alternatives to immigration detention. The statement did not indicate any plans to deploy a U.N. investigation commission to examine ICE detention centers. Instead, it urged the United States to utilize its own governmental bodies for such investigations.
The statement emphasized: "US immigration authorities must ensure that their detention facilities comply with international human rights norms and standards. This includes upholding dignity, avoiding overcrowding, providing timely access to healthcare, including mental health services, family notification, consular assistance, legal representation, and necessary interpretation services for all individuals in immigration detention."
The High Commissioner also called for "the full restoration and strengthening of independent oversight mechanisms for immigration detention" and highlighted the role of "Congressional bodies" in overseeing immigration enforcement practices.
Türk’s remarks followed an announcement on June 24 by the Department of Homeland Security’s independent watchdog that it was initiating an evaluation of detainee deaths in ICE custody, amid an increase in such fatalities. Reports indicate that various government oversight offices have been weakened.
U.N. Has Not Taken Steps to Investigate ICE:
Several principal bodies within the U.N. could theoretically establish a formal investigation into ICE custody deaths, though none have publicly done so.
According to the OHCHR, U.N.-mandated investigative bodies can be formed by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Human Rights Council.
The U.N. Security Council, regarded as the organization’s most powerful body, is responsible for international peace and security. While it can issue binding decisions, it has not released any resolutions concerning ICE, according to the U.N.’s official list. The United States, as a permanent member of the Security Council, holds veto power over any such resolutions.
The U.N. General Assembly, the primary policy-making body where each member nation has a vote, has no resolutions pertaining to ICE found through searches of its decisions and resolutions.
The Secretary-General, the U.N.’s chief administrative officer, has not issued any press releases or announcements regarding investigations into ICE as of this writing.
A review of the Human Rights Council-mandated investigative bodies listed on the OHCHR website does not currently include any investigations into the United States.