A Chinese immigrant, Chaofeng Ge, was found dead Aug. 5 while in custody in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Pennsylvania. He had been detained for only four days.
According to Newsweek, Ge was reportedly found “with his hands and feet tied behind him.”
Chaofeng’s brother, Yangfeng Ge, said, “I am devastated by the loss of my brother and by the knowledge that he was suffering so greatly in that detention center.”
Yanfeng added, “He did not deserve to be treated that way. I want justice for my brother, answers as to how this could have happened, and accountability for those responsible for his death.”
With detention numbers rising rapidly in ICE facilities under the Trump administration, the number of reported deaths has also increased.
“At least 15 immigrants died within ICE facilities, or while under their care, under this administration, compared to 12 for the entire fiscal year 2024,” according to Newsweek. While advocacy groups and attorneys have brought attention to poor conditions in ICE detention, the Department of Homeland Security has stated differently.
After arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border near Tecate, California on Nov. 22, 2023, Ge, 32, was arrested for unlawful entry by Border Patrol. He was eventually released into the U.S. with a notice to appear for a hearing at a later date, according to Newsweek.
However, Ge heard nothing from ICE for more than a year until January 2025, when agents located him in Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania.
As Newsweek reported, “He was accused of accessing a device issued to another who did not authorize its use, conspiracy (accessing a device issued to another who did not authorize use), theft by deception–false impression, conspiracy — theft by deception, criminal use of a communication facility, and unlawful use of a computer — access to disrupt function.”
On July 31, Ge, who lived in Queens, New York, was convicted of the first two of those charges by the Court of Common Pleas in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. After being sentenced to six to 12 months with credit for time served, he was released from local custody and then detained by ICE agents.
According to Newsweek, “ICE is required to issue reports on all deaths within its custody, including Ge’s. The report states he was assessed with the help of a Mandarin interpreter on Aug. 1, when he denied any past medical or mental health issues.”
Four days later, at approximately 5:20 a.m. Aug. 5, Ge’s body was found by officers at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Philipsburg.
Newsweek reported that staff said “they found him in a shower stall with the cloth around his neck. Despite getting him onto the ground and attempting lifesaving measures, including CPR, Ge was pronounced dead roughly 40 minutes later.”
Still met with unanswered questions, Ge’s family filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security in the Southern District of New York.
According to an autopsy report seen by Newsweek, Ge was found with a bedsheet in a “hog-tied” position with linens around his wrists and ankles.
In the report, the medical examiner noted, “There had been other reported incidents of people who had hung themselves having done something similar, and there were no obvious defense wounds.”
The criminal complaint filed by David Rankin, attorney for the Ge family and a partner at Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP in New York City, also detailed these findings. The complaint also alleged that “ICE denied Ge the mental health care he needed and ignored requests for more details on the conditions at the MVPC,” according to Newsweek.
In a statement to Newsweek, Rankin said, “It is truly mystifying how any detention facility can let someone leave their room, create three nooses and then hang themselves without anyone knowing.”
He added, “What’s worse is the lack of mental health care which could have prevented this tragedy. Mr. Ge’s death represents a total failure on the part of the Geo Group and the DHS.”
When asked by Newsweek whether Ge had been tied up and whether DHS was cooperating with the lawsuit filed in New York, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin did not respond. She instead “repeated similar messaging on detention deaths: that ICE takes each one seriously and thoroughly investigates them all,” Newsweek reported.
McLaughlin stated, “[…] All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated by law enforcement. ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously.”
As of now, the lawsuit is requesting a judge to force both DHS and ICE to release more details on the case.
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Categories: Breaking News Immigration State of California Tags: Civil Rights Department of Homeland Security Detention ICE Immigration Newsweek Trump Administration Wrongful Death