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Haitian man Jean Wilson Brutus dies from blood clot in ICE custody at Newark facility

Jan 28, 2026 · Newark, NJ, Haiti

Haitian man Jean Wilson Brutus dies from blood clot in ICE custody at Newark facility

Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian man, died in December 2025 at Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, less than a day after being detained. Brutus suffered a medical emergency and was transported to University Hospital, but an ambulance transporting him was delayed by 5 minutes as officials prioritized allowing a van of new detainees into the facility. A medical examiner determined he died from a pulmonary embolism, though ICE initially described his death as suspected natural causes. His death was one of at least two deaths at the facility that prompted civil rights scrutiny, and one of 23 people to die in ICE custody during the year.

Timeline

Jan 28, 2026Death documented as one of 23 ICE custody deaths during the year; civil rights scrutiny initiated following death at facility
Dec 2025Jean Wilson Brutus detained at Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey; suffered medical emergency and was transported to University Hospital with a 5-minute delay in ambulance departure
Dec 2025Jean Wilson Brutus died from pulmonary embolism; ICE initially described death as suspected natural causes

Sources

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