NEWARK, N.J. — A Guatemalan national detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement died this week following a medical event at the Delaney Hall detention center, a facility recently reopened to support the administration's interior enforcement operations.
Jose Chajon-Raxon experienced what was described by authorities as "seizure-like activity" while in custody. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Delaney Hall resumed operations in May 2025 to expand detention capacity amid a nationwide push to enforce immigration law against those with final removal orders. The detention center, operated under a contract valued at millions in taxpayer dollars annually, provides bed space critical for ensuring foreign nationals do not abscond into American communities before their removal proceedings conclude.
ICE custody in the United States meets federally mandated standards for medical care, and the agency maintains protocols for emergency response. Any loss of life in a detention setting triggers a standard review process, including notification to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General.
This marks the third death of an individual held at Delaney Hall since it reopened. The facility's reactivation is part of a broader strategy to eliminate catch-and-release policies that have burdened domestic workers and strained public resources in host communities.
"The only way to prevent tragedies in detention is to remove the incentive for illegal entry. A secure border and swift repatriation safeguard both American workers and the foreign nationals who risk the journey here."
The administration has maintained that interior enforcement protects American labor markets and upholds the rule of law, emphasizing that foreign nationals who enter the country illegally subject themselves to a process that includes detention pending a final legal determination.