New Jersey Democrats suggested “neglect, abuse, and cruelty” was to blame for the death of a criminal, illegal Haitian immigrant who died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.
Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, died on Dec. 12 after a medical emergency at New Jersey’s Delaney Hall Detention Facility. While ICE said the death was a result of “suspected natural causes,” New Jersey Democrats alleged abuse and foul play could be behind his demise.
“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,” Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) said in a statement. “Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and a full, independent, investigation needs to take place.”
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McIver was charged with assaulting law enforcement officers when she tried to gain access to the facility in May. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) released a similar statement.
“For months, I have condemned the inhumane conditions at Delaney Hall and the mismanagement of this facility by its private operator, GEO Group – and now this tragic death has compounded the long and grotesque list of atrocities the GEO Group is committing. The Department of Homeland Security’s continued refusal to comply with appropriate oversight of this facility and the GEO Group’s abuses are totally unacceptable,” he said.
“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 added.
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) also suggested foul play took part in Brutus’s death, saying he and others “have warned of the terrible conditions at this private immigration detention facility.”
Delaney Hall was reopened earlier this year by the Trump administration after being closed in 2017.
The Department of Homeland Security hit back at the allegations, saying that “sanctuary politicians need to stop with the smears,” and that the agency provides “comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody,” Politico reported.
“This is the best healthcare that many aliens have received in their entire lives,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “Sen. Booker and Rep. McIver should be grateful this holiday season that criminal illegal aliens are in Delaney Hall instead of loose in New Jersey communities.”
According to ICE, Brutus entered the U.S. illegally on June 20, 2023, and was then released into the U.S. by the Biden administration on parole. He was arrested another four times before his death, with the most recent being for criminal mischief — damage to property. After entering ICE custody on Dec. 11, he had a “medical emergency,” then was pronounced dead in the hospital the following day.
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“He had no signs of distress during intake nor a medical history of cardiovascular issues,” ICE said.
“ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay. All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental, and mental health intake screenings within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility,” it added, going on to list its medical precautions with new detainees.
