Lawmaker Deflects on ICE Deaths as Tensions Mount Over Detention Conditions

A heated exchange on CNBC is drawing fresh attention to worsening conditions inside federal immigration detention centers.

During the interview, Representative Jason Smith sidestepped questions about overcrowding and deteriorating conditions at Department of Homeland Security facilities. Instead of addressing present-day concerns, Smith pointed to immigration policies under past Democratic administrations — even as the host repeatedly steered the conversation back to current conditions under President Donald Trump.

The moment, highlighted online by journalist Aaron Rupar, comes as scrutiny intensifies over detention standards.

Mounting Deaths, Court Orders, and Oversight Demands

According to reports from the American Civil Liberties Union, at least six people have died in ICE custody so far in 2026. Legal filings and court rulings cite life-threatening medical delays, allegations of forced warehouse-style detention, and inadequate healthcare.

In several cases, federal judges have ordered immigration authorities to provide constitutionally adequate medical care — a rare and serious rebuke that underscores concerns about detainee treatment.

The situation has fueled bipartisan calls for stronger oversight, particularly as Congress faces a funding standoff that could risk a government shutdown. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have demanded greater transparency from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Clashing Narratives

Smith has argued that conditions are improving and defended expanded enforcement efforts. But that claim clashes with ongoing court mandates, congressional inspection requests, and growing alarm from advocacy groups.

The broader debate highlights the tension at the heart of current immigration policy: an aggressive enforcement expansion paired with mounting humanitarian concerns.

As political leaders battle over funding and border security, conditions inside detention facilities are emerging as a flashpoint — and one that is unlikely to fade quietly.

Watch the CNBC news –

CNBC: What about the horrific conditions in DHS detention centers? Is that an issue that needs to be looked at?

REP. JASON SMITH: I'm sure those conditions never existed under Joe Biden or Obama.

CNBC: I'm sorry, sir. I'm not asking about Biden. I'm asking about the conditions… pic.twitter.com/Exb4wrYjWw

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 12, 2026

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