Until recently, few people had heard of Social Security’s Death Master File (DMF). But since the revelations about Elon Musk’s DOGE plan to weaponize the DMF, the database has become notorious. How does the Death Master File work? When someone dies, an “informant” (usually but not always next of kin) give a funeral director personal…
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Deaths in ICE custody
Updated June3, 2026 Deaths involving “ICE” used to prompt a mental image of someone dying of hypothermia after a fall through thin ice. But in 2026, deaths in ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody, especially in massive detention camps, are what come to mind. Reporting ICE deaths The official website that reports detainee deaths says…
The Coroner’s Silence: A Book Review
We don’t know how many people die in custody each year and even less
about how they die. What can coroners do about it?