In an open letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE officials Thursday afternoon, New Jersey's nine U.S. House Democrats demanded transparency around the recent deaths of detainees at Delaney Hall in Newark.

The letter, led by newly elected U.S. Rep. Analilia Mejia, was addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and David Venturella, the acting director of ICE. The members of Congress criticized the three alleged deaths at Delaney Hall, a privately owned ICE detention center contracted by President Donald Trump's administration, in the past year, particularly one that ICE has not yet confirmed.

"Three deaths, repeated allegations of medical neglect, restricted oversight, and less public transparency are a terrible track record of care for individuals in your custody," the lawmakers wrote.

The Aug. 1 death of Edwin Jovanny Lopez Cornejo, a former detainee at Delaney Hall, was announced by officials on Monday. Jean Wilson Brutus died in Delaney Hall in December 2025, the day after being taken into custody.

The letter references to a third death that occurred in July involving another inmate. According to Rep. Robert Menendez, ICE authorized the temporary release of a detainee to facilitate medical treatment after the person began experiencing a seizure. The person was not technically in ICE custody when they died, and ICE did not report the death, Menendez said.

A spokesperson for Mejia's office said that she has not yet received information on the third detainee's death due of HIPAA. They added that ICE "isn't going to release information because they kind of snake their way around the rules. They change the rules, so they don't have to."

On June 2, a new ICE directive removed the requirement for congressional notification when an individual dies within 30 days of being released from ICE custody, officials said.

"That policy existed for a reason: our government's responsibility does not end at the detention center gate," the members of Congress wrote. "If a medical crisis begins in federal custody and ends in death after release, the government's responsibility is not negated simply because the paperwork says the individual was no longer detained. Eliminating that transparency does not change the facts, but can serve to hide information from the American public purposefully."

The letter requested a complete accounting of Delaney Hall deaths, an explanation of ICE's policy regarding detainee death reporting, and the sharing of inspections and mortality reviews. The representatives also sought "full access" to Delaney Hall for members of Congress and health officials.

Spokespeople for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment by NJ.com Thursday night.

The letter was co-led by Reps. LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, according to Mejia's office. It was also signed by Reps. Frank Pallone, Nellie Pou, Donald Norcross, Herb Conaway and Josh Gottheimer.

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