ICE Explains Why It Didn't Report Guatemalan Man's Death After Arrest

0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. An immigrant who fell ill while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) detention in New Jersey died days later after being hospitalized and released from custody, the agency said Wednesday.

ICE confirmed that Jose Chajon-Raxon, from Guatemala, had died in late July but said the agency did not need to report the death due to its recent policy change to not require notices on former detainee deaths.

The confirmation comes after New Jersey Democratic Representative Rob Menendez spoke out about an unreported death linked to the Delaney Hall detention center on August 3, after another immigrant had died at the facility.

The Trump administration has come under increasing scrutiny over conditions at ICE facilities across the country, amid a rise in detainee deaths as the number of immigrants being held has spiked.

Menendez said in an X post that a man who had been detained by ICE had recently been granted "discretionary release" when he died last month at University Hospital in Newark.

On Wednesday, ICE confirmed the man's identity to Newsweek, saying that Chajon-Raxon was an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who had been processed into Delaney Hall on July 18 shortly after his arrest.

"On July 19, a nurse responded to a medical emergency and witnessed Chajon-Raxon experiencing seizure-like activity. EMS was immediately called," the spokesperson said. “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."

It was not immediately clear when Chajon-Raxon died or what his cause of death was. Newsweek reached out to the Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office for more information Wednesday evening via email.

“Per ICE policy, when an individual is no longer in ICE custody then ICE will no longer be responsible for monitoring or reviewing deaths that may occur. This is common sense. ICE is not responsible when an individual passes away weeks after leaving their custody," the spokesperson said.

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement remains committed to transparency regarding detainee deaths. This updated policy outlines procedures for timely notification, review, and reporting of deaths occurring in ICE custody, including notifying next of kin, consulates, Congress and the public."

The policy shift received pushback at the time, particularly from Democrats who warned this could affect transparency. On August 3, Menendez accused ICE of releasing the yet-unnamed man in order to avoid reporting his death.

"That person had lost consciousness, most likely it was a seizure," he told reporters, per the Huffington Post . "University Hospital made the determination upon that person’s initial intake that they had experienced a seizure.”

Newsweek reached out to Menendez's office for further comment Wednesday evening.

Deaths in ICE custody have become a growing flashpoint during President Donald Trump's second term, as the administration has expanded detention capacity and increased immigration arrests.

Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights reported that 52 people died in ICE custody between Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, and June 4, 2026, describing the mortality rate as the highest seen in more than a decade. Independent reporting has also documented a sharp rise in fatalities as detention populations reached record levels.

The increase has drawn criticism from immigrant-rights advocates, attorneys and medical experts, who argue that overcrowding, inadequate medical care and reduced oversight have contributed to preventable deaths.

The ACLU, Human Rights Watch and other organizations have repeatedly called for greater transparency and accountability in detention facilities. ICE has pushed back on those claims, saying detainees receive comprehensive medical, dental and mental health care and that every in-custody death is thoroughly reviewed and investigated.

In its statement Wednesday, ICE repeated the administration's view that detainees receive high levels of comfort.

“All detainees are provided with proper meals certified by dieticians, as well as quality water, blankets, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers," the spokesperson said. "In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens."

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Gray R. Thomas

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