Elizabeth resident Jean Wilson Brutus died in ICE custody at Delaney Hall in Newark

by Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor

A 41-year-old man from Haiti who had been living in Elizabeth before he was detained at a migrant jail in Newark died one day after he was arrested by federal authorities, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Jean Wilson Brutus entered ICE custody on Dec. 11, and while at Delaney Hall in Newark, he experienced a “medical emergency,” ICE said in a statement. Emergency services were called, and Brutus was transported to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead Dec. 12, according to the agency.

ICE attributed the death to “natural causes.” Brutus showed no signs of distress during intake, nor had a medical history of cardiovascular issues, the agency said. 

This marks the first death of a Delaney Hall detainee since it opened earlier this year. Immigrant advocates are demanding more information from authorities on exactly what happened and why it took a week for ICE to announce Brutus’ death.

Brutus was one of four immigrants in ICE detention centers in the United States whose deaths were reported yesterday, Thursday, December 18, 2025.

Kathy O’Leary, an activist who holds vigils at the detention center, said she was there last week when an ambulance pulled onto the jail’s property, and she heard discussions of someone having a medical emergency over guards’ walkie-talkies.

That ambulance was held up leaving the jail by a van dropping off new detainees, she added. 

It wasn’t until ICE put out the statement Thursday evening that she learned about Brutus’ death. 

“There’s a lot of questions that we need answers to. Was he on medication that he wasn’t getting? Was he not given the correct medication? That’s something we frequently hear,” O’Leary said. “It’s pretty unusual to have a natural death at 41, so there’s a lot of questions about what happened and how he got there.”

“Newark’s documented history of Geo Group and ICE’s complete lack of transparency, and their demonstrated disregard for laws that ensure the safety and well-being of the detainees, tempts some disgusting speculation on the immorality of stripping human beings of their innate dignity,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

According to ICE, the Elizabeth Police Department arrested and released Brutus four times between July 2024 and November 2025 for criminal trespassing.

Immigration officials lodged a detainer and notified local police that they intended to take Brutus into federal custody, but he was released from Union County jail without ICE being notified, the agency said. 

He was arrested again on Nov. 28 for two counts of criminal mischief and released again, despite the detainer, ICE said. He was arrested by immigration authorities on Dec. 11 and transferred to Delaney Hall. 

ICE said Brutus, originally from Haiti, entered the United States in Texas in 2023. It’s unclear if he was convicted of any of these charges. 

Amy Torres, executive director of New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, criticized ICE for using its press release announcing Brutus’ death to describe him almost entirely by the crimes he’s alleged to have committed. 

“Nothing that’s listed in that press release amounts to something that should become a death sentence. And yet, that’s what happened to him as soon as he was in ICE custody,” Torres said. 

Delaney Hall, one of the largest migrant detention centers in the country, has made headlines multiple times this year. 

It was the first new immigrant jail announced during the second Trump administration as President Donald Trump pursued his policy of detaining and deporting millions of undocumented immigrants.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested there in May for trespassing, a charge that was quickly dropped after videos showed federal agents inviting him onto the property.

Rep. LaMonica McIver is likely heading to trial over charges of assaulting two agents as they moved to arrest Baraka. And in June, four detainees escaped during an uprising at the detention center.

Immigrant advocates say detainees regularly report inhumane treatment, like a lack of toilet paper, inedible food, and overcrowding in the units. 

Activists said lawmakers should be paying more attention to what’s going on at Delaney Hall on a regular basis. 

Sen. Cory Booker said in a statement he is “deeply concerned” about Brutus’ death. Booker noted he opposes private detention centers and has condemned the inhumane conditions at Delaney Hall. 

“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.

McIver called the death an “outrage” and echoed calls for more details on Brutus’ confinement and treatment. She also said the jail should be closed.

“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,” she said. “This incident demands immediate answers.”