DHS cites recent policy shift after not disclosing death of Guatemalan man who had been in custody
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — U.S. immigration officials said Wednesday that they didn’t publicly disclose the death of a Guatemalan man who had a seizure at a New Jersey detention center because they weren’t notified that he died after they…
On July 19, Jose Chajon-Raxon, a Guatemalan man, suffered a seizure while in a New Jersey detention center managed by a private company. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed on Wednesday that they did not disclose his death because they were not informed he had died after being sent to a hospital. According to the DHS, Chajon-Raxon was taken to the hospital, released from their custody on July 22, and subsequently passed away.
The department did not provide information on what happened after his hospital visit or whether he was released from the hospital before his demise. A DHS statement stated that "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" - a common practice.
This policy shift was announced earlier this year, rescinding a 2021 policy initiated by the Biden administration. This move comes as part of a broader effort to avoid public scrutiny and accountability for ICE's failures. New Jersey Democrat Representative Rob Menendez, who frequently visits the detention center, criticized the policy change, calling it a "loophole" that allows the agency to release individuals and then "claim it has no responsibility to investigate their death or inform Congress and the public."
Menendez argued that ICE is acting in line with the "enthusiasm of the Trump Administration" to avoid public scrutiny and take responsibility for its shortcomings.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
