A 41-year-old Haitian national died after suffering a medical emergency while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, federal authorities said.
The man, identified as Jean Wilson Brutus, was pronounced dead on December 12 at University Hospital after being transported there by emergency responders, ICE said. His death is suspected to be from natural causes.
According to ICE, Brutus entered agency custody on December 11 after his release from Union County Jail in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he had been held following an arrest for criminal mischief involving property damage. He also had multiple prior arrests for criminal trespassing.
ICE said that while Brutus was being held at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility, he experienced a medical emergency. Local Emergency Medical Services were called, performed life-saving measures and transported him to the hospital, where he later died.
Federal authorities said Brutus entered the United States illegally on June 20, 2023, at the Hidalgo Port of Entry in Texas and was subsequently paroled into the country pending immigration proceedings.
Between July and October 2024, the Elizabeth Police Department arrested Brutus three times for criminal trespassing and released him into the community on each occasion, ICE said. On November 19, 2025, he was arrested a fourth time on a criminal trespassing charge that remains pending.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark unit encountered Brutus that same day at the Union County Jail and lodged an immigration detainer. However, ICE said the jail later released him without notifying federal authorities.
On November 28, 2025, Brutus was again arrested by Elizabeth police, this time on two counts of criminal mischief involving property damage. Despite an immigration detainer, ICE said he was released into the community once more.
ICE officers arrested Brutus on December 11, 2025, and after processing, transferred him to the Delaney Hall Detention Facility. Authorities said he showed no signs of distress during intake and had no documented history of cardiovascular issues.
ICE said it notified the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Haitian consulate of Brutus’ death, in line with federal policy.
The agency also said it has informed Congress, non-governmental organization stakeholders and the media, and will publish a report on the death on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website, as required under the DHS Appropriations Act of 2018. That law mandates that ICE make public all reports related to in-custody deaths within 90 days.
ICE reiterated that it is committed to ensuring safe and humane conditions for those in its custody, stating that detainees receive medical, dental and mental health screenings within 12 hours of arrival at a detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days, access to routine medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care.
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