NEWARK, N.J. (RNS) — Faith leaders and religious advocates in New Jersey are calling for accountability and compassion following the death of a 41-year-old Haitian man after a reported medical emergency while he was detained at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark. It marks the first recorded death at the detention center since it reopened in May amid the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.
Delaney Hall is operated by private prison company GEO Group under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE confirmed the death of Jean Wilson Brutus in a statement on Thursday (Dec. 18), saying he entered ICE custody on Dec. 11, after he was released from Union County Jail in Elizabeth, N.J., which followed an arrest for criminal mischief/damage to property. The agency said Brutus died of “suspected natural causes” on Dec. 12.
“While at Delaney Hall Detention Facility, he experienced a medical emergency and local Emergency Medical Services was called,” ICE said in a news release. “EMS performed life-saving measures and transported Brutus to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, and later the hospital pronounced him deceased on Dec. 12.”
The statement described Brutus as a “criminal illegal alien,” and said that ICE notified federal oversight authorities and the Haitian consulate of his death, as required by agency policy. The agency stated it “is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments.”
On Friday (Dec. 19), advocates and volunteers with the “Eyes on ICE” initiative issued a statement calling for an immediate independent investigation into Brut …