New Jersey Democrats are calling for Delaney Hall, an immigrant detention facility in Newark, to shut down after a detainee died last week.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement stated on Thursday that Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old from Haiti who was detained at Delaney Hall on Dec. 11, “experienced a medical emergency” at the facility and was transported to the hospital, where he died the next day “from suspected natural causes.” Brutus “had no signs of distress during intake nor a medical history of cardiovascular issues,” according to the agency.
This is the first reported death at Delaney Hall, which is run by the private prison company GEO Group, since it reopened earlier this year.
Delaney Hall, the first immigration detention center to open under the second Trump administration, has been at the center of the immigration debate both in New Jersey and nationally. The facility was the scene of the high-profile arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in May, when Rep. LaMonica McIver was also charged with assaulting law enforcement officers as she and two other members of the congressional delegation sought to conduct an oversight visit. Weeks later, four detainees escaped from the facility as concerns emerged about improper conditions.
New Jersey Democrats have long been opposed to the facility, and are ramping up their criticism in light of Brutus’ death.
“This tragedy is not an isolated incident, and we have seen neglect, abuse, and cruelty from this administration as they strip people of the rights this country affords everyone, including those in detention,” McIver said in a statement. “Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and a full, independent, investigation needs to take place.”
Sen. Cory Booker echoed McIver’s sentiment to close Delaney Hall “so that this stain can be removed from our community of Newark.”
When reached for comment on New Jersey Democrats’ calls to shut the facility, GEO Group referred POLITICO to ICE’s previous statement on Brutus’ death. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ICE said that Brutus entered the country in 2023. He was arrested three times for criminal trespassing by the Elizabeth Police Department between July and October 2024 and twice this past November, once for criminal trespassing and the other for criminal mischief, according to the agency.
