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DHS Says Policy Change Explains Non‑Disclosure of Guatemalan Detainee's Death

The agency says it was not notified after the man was hospitalized and points to a new rule that stops reporting deaths within 30 days of release, a gap that has prompted demands for independent probes.

FILE - Law enforcement officers kettle protesters outside Delaney Hall detention center Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Gray, File)
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Overview

  • Jose Chajon-Raxon had a seizure at Delaney Hall on July 19, was taken to University Hospital, and was released from ICE custody on July 22, federal statements say.
  • DHS and ICE say they were not informed that Chajon-Raxon later died and cite a policy change this year that rescinded a 2021 rule requiring agencies to report deaths that occur within 30 days of release.
  • Lawmakers, detainee advocates and the victim’s family have demanded full medical records and independent autopsies and have criticized the policy for creating an accountability gap.
  • Delaney Hall, run by the GEO Group, has seen protests, hunger strikes and multiple lawsuits over medical care after recent deaths including Edwin Jovanny Lopez-Cornejo and Jean Wilson Brutus.
  • State civil-rights probes, congressional oversight and calls to restore or tighten death-reporting rules are likely next steps as advocates press for stronger inspections of privately run detention centers.