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Man dies after 1 day in ICE custody at Newark facility, ICE says
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Dec 19, 2025
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Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Dec 19, 2025
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A man who was being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in New Jersey died last week after he suffered an undisclosed medical emergency, federal authorities said.
Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, was being held at the Delaney Hall immigration facility in Newark when he suffered the medical episode on Dec. 12, ICE officials said in a statement released Friday.
Someone at the detention center called medics, who transported Brutus to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the statement.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said Brutus' death raises a host of distressing questions about transparency and the conditions at the facility.
“ICE's complete lack of transparency, and their demonstrated disregard for laws that ensure the safety and wellbeing of the detainees, tempts some disgusting speculation on the immorality of stripping human beings of their innate dignity,” Baraka said in a statement.
In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said Brutus entered the United States from Haiti in 2023.
Brutus was arrested in New Jersey a number of times for minor crimes, including criminal trespassing, before ICE arrested him on Dec. 11, according to the statement.
He died after one day in ICE custody, according to the statement.
Tagged
immigration
new jersey
public safety
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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