New Jersey Democrats are demanding the immediate closure of Delaney Hall in Newark after 41-year-old Haitian detainee Jean Wilson Brutus died following a medical emergency. ICE says Brutus, detained on Dec. 11, died in hospital the next day of "suspected natural causes" and had no reported cardiac history. The GEO Group-operated facility, reopened earlier this year, has drawn scrutiny after an oversight-visit arrest and a later escape of four detainees. Lawmakers including Rep. LaMonica McIver, Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Rob Menendez are calling for an independent investigation.
Calls Mount To Close Delaney Hall After 41-Year-Old Detainee Dies In Custody
New Jersey Democrats are intensifying calls to shut Delaney Hall, an immigrant detention center in Newark, after the death of a detainee last week.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Thursday that Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old man from Haiti who was taken into custody at Delaney Hall on Dec. 11, "experienced a medical emergency" while detained and was transported to a hospital. He died the following day of "suspected natural causes," the agency said, adding that Brutus showed no signs of distress at intake and had no reported history of cardiovascular issues.
This is the first reported death at Delaney Hall since the facility, operated by the private prison company GEO Group, reopened earlier this year.
Delaney Hall — the first immigration detention center opened under the second Trump administration — has become a flashpoint in the broader immigration debate. In May, the facility drew national attention after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested during an oversight visit. Representative LaMonica McIver was also charged in connection with that visit. In the weeks that followed, four detainees escaped amid growing concerns about conditions at the facility.
New Jersey Democrats say Brutus' death underscores longstanding problems at Delaney Hall and are demanding immediate closure and a full independent investigation.
"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 said. "Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and a full, independent, investigation needs to take place."
Sen. Cory Booker said the facility should be closed "so that this stain can be removed from our community of Newark." Rep. Rob Menendez, who joined an earlier oversight visit, accused the administration and ICE of disregarding "safety, basic human rights, and common decency at detention centers across the country."
When asked about the calls to close Delaney Hall, GEO Group referred POLITICO to ICE’s prior statement on Brutus’ death. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
ICE said Brutus entered the United States in 2023 and that he had multiple arrests in 2024 — including several criminal trespassing charges and one charge of criminal mischief. Governor Phil Murphy’s office called the death "troubling" and said it is "closely monitoring this matter."
Lawmakers and advocates are urging independent oversight and transparency into the circumstances surrounding Brutus' death and broader conditions at Delaney Hall as calls for closure grow louder.
