A Guatemalan immigrant dies after suffering a medical emergency following his detention by ICE

President Donald Trump's administration reported on Thursday that a Guatemalan immigrant identified as José Chajon-Raxon died after suffering a medical emergency following his transfer to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark, New Jersey, in July. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that a nurse was attending to another emergency when she observed that Chajon-Raxon was "experiencing seizure-like activity." The Guatemalan immigrant had been detained the previous day and was transferred to a hospital shortly thereafter. He later died at the medical center, but since he was no longer in custody at that time, ICE was not notified.

The Delaney Hall detention center, located in Newark, had already been the target of criticism from human rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers following the deaths in ICE custody of Edwin López-Cornejo, a Salvadoran immigrant, and Jean Wilson Brutus, a Haitian immigrant. The Salvadoran man died this month after suffering a medical emergency, while the Haitian citizen died in December.

DHS explained that ICE was not informed of Chajon-Raxon's death because the agency "was not responsible when an individual passes away weeks after leaving their custody." Likewise, the DHS spokesperson noted in a statement sent to various media outlets that "While waiting for first responders to arrive, Chajon-Raxon was provided proper medical care from the nurse who reassured him he was safe. The nurse gave a comprehensive report to first responders and Chajon-Raxon was taken to the hospital and released from ICE custody on July 22. ICE was not notified of his death."

More than 50 people have died in ICE custody across the United States since President Donald Trump took office in January of last year. Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about medical care and living conditions in these detention centers.