A 41-year-old Haitian national died at University Hospital in Newark on Dec. 12, less than 24 hours after his arrest by federal immigration authorities and detention in New Jersey.
Jean Wilson Brutus is the first person to die at the Delaney Hall detention center since it reopened last spring.
According to a statement released Thursday evening by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mr. Brutus “experienced a medical emergency” while at the detention facility.
Emergency medical services responded, attempted resuscitation, and transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead the next day. The agency attributed his death to “suspected natural causes.”
The ICE statement noted that Mr. Brutus “had no signs of distress during intake nor a medical history of cardiovascular issues.”
Delay in Public Announcement Raises Concerns
Mr. Brutus’s death was not disclosed to the public until a week after it occurred, prompting criticism from immigrant rights organizations.
Under ICE’s internal procedures, the agency is required to notify the public “in a timely, accurate, and appropriate manner” by posting a notice on its official website within two business days of a death in custody.
Kathy O’Leary, an activist with Pax Christi who leads daily vigils outside the facility, reported witnessing the ambulance arrive on the evening of Dec. 11. She stated she heard guards discussing a medical crisis over their walkie-talkies. According to her account, as reported by the New Jersey Monitor, the ambulance’s departure was delayed while employees prioritized processing a van with new detainees.ons that we need answers to,” she said. “Was he on medication that he wasn’t getting? Was he not given the correct medication? That’s something we frequently hear.”
History of Multiple Arrests
In its statement, ICE detailed Mr. Brutus’s encounters with law enforcement.
The agency states he entered the United States on June 20, 2023, at the Hidalgo Port of Entry in Texas and was paroled into the country pending immigration proceedings.
Between July and October 2024, the Elizabeth Police Department in New Jersey arrested him three times for criminal trespassing, releasing him each time. He was arrested a fourth time on the same charge on Nov. 19, 2025. On that day, ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the Union County Jail, but Mr. Brutus was released without ICE being notified, according to the statement.
On Nov. 28, he was arresteOn Nov. 28, he was arrested again on two counts of criminal mischief, specifically property damage, and released despite the ICE detainer. ICE apprehended him on Dec. 11 and transferred him to Delaney Hall.hed whether Mr. Brutus was convicted of any of these charges.
Lawmakers Seek Accountability
Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, a Newark resident and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was “deeply concerned” by the death. “There must be a clear accounting of what happened in this tragedy, and Delaney Hall must be closed so that this stain can be removed from our community of Newark,” he said in a statement.
Rep. LaMonica McIver, whose district includes Newark, called the death an “outrage” and requested details about Mr. Brutus’s conditions of confinement and treatment. “This tragedy is not an isolated incident,” she said. “The Trump administration has shown a complete disregard for human rights, human dignity and human life.”
Sen. Andy Kim had visited Delaney Hall days before the death was announced and renewed his calls for the facility to be closed.
Facility Faces Ongoing Controversy
Delaney Hall, operated by GEO Group under a 15-year, $1 billion-plus contract with ICE, has faced numerous controversies since reopening in May 2025. In June, four detainees escaped after breaking through a wall during an uprising reportedly triggered by poor living conditions. In May, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested outside the facility while attempting an inspection.
Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, criticized the ICE statement for focusing “almost entirely on the crimes he’s alleged to have committed” rather than the circumstances of his death. “There’s no situation in which this should be a death penalty,” she told the New Jersey Monitor.
In its statement, ICE said it “is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments.” The agency maintains that comprehensive medical care is provided upon detainees’ arrival, including an examination within 12 hours of admission and access to emergency care around the clock.
The agency stated it notified the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and the Haitian consulate. Mr. Brutus was one of four men to die in ICE detention over the past week. More than 30 people have died in ICE custody since the beginning of the year.
