in a press release on Friday, High Commissioner Volker Türk He said people suspected of being undocumented immigrants are being surveilled, arrested and detained – sometimes violently – in places ranging from hospitals and places of worship to courthouses, schools, markets and private homes.
The UN rights chief said he was “stunned by the now routine abuse and denigration of migrants and refugees.“
He warned that the fear generated by such federal operations is spreading through communities, and children are missing school and medical appointments, fearing that their parents will not return.
“Those who dare to speak out or peacefully protest against harsh immigration raids are vilified and threatened by officials and sometimes subjected to arbitrary violence themselves.”said Mr. Türk.
He said that numerous immigration policies that U.S. authorities are now implementing are resulting in arbitrary and illegal arrests and detentionsas well as flawed elimination decisions. He expressed concern that law enforcement actions often lacked sufficient individualized evaluations.
due process
Immigration law enforcement in the United States is primarily carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency responsible for identifying, arresting, detaining, and removing noncitizens deemed to be in violation of immigration law.
Mr. Türk emphasized that while national governments have the authority to establish and enforce immigration policies, those powers must be exercised in full accordance with the law. Failure to respect due process, he said, risks eroding public trust, weakening institutional legitimacy and violating people’s rights.
He also deplored Washington’s use of large-scale law enforcement operations, raising concerns that the force has at times appeared unnecessary or disproportionate.
On January 7, 2026, a woman was shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota’s largest city, during an operation involving federal agents.
“Under international law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permitted as a measure of last resort against a person who poses an imminent threat to life.”said Mr. Türk.
Broken families
The UN human rights chief highlighted the human cost of these practices, particularly for families.
Mr. Türk cited cases in which parents were detained or transferred between centers without being provided with adequate information about their whereabouts or without access to legal assistance, making it difficult to maintain family contact or seek legal recourse.
“I call on the administration to end practices that are destroying families,” said the High Commissioner. He also called for independent and transparent investigations into the reported increase in the number of deaths in ICE custody.
At least 30 deaths were reported last year, and six more so far this year.
“Xenophobic hostel”
Mr. Türk also expressed deep concern about what he described as “dehumanizing narratives” used by some government officials to portray migrants and refugees.
“I call on leaders at all levels in America to stop using scapegoating tactics that seek to distract and divide.and that increase the exposure of migrants and refugees to xenophobic hostility and abuse,” he said.
It also recognized the efforts of a wide range of public officials, community groups and civil society representatives throughout the United States, who are working to uphold dignity, justice and accountability in the treatment of migrants and their communities.
Net benefits of migration
He highlighted that the history of the United States has been “deeply shaped” by the contributions that migrants, from all over the world, have made and continue to make.
“Demonizing migrants and refugees collectively as criminals, threats or burdens on society – based on their origin, nationality or immigration status – is inhumane, incorrect and It goes against the very structure and foundation of the nation,”, he warned.
