DHS cites recent policy shift after not disclosing death of Guatemalan man who had been in custody

U.S. immigration officials acknowledged on Wednesday that they failed to publicly disclose the death of a Guatemalan man who suffered a seizure while in custody at a New Jersey detention center. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the non-disclosure occurred because officials were not notified of his death after he had been transferred away from the facility.

DHS attributed the lack of public disclosure to a recent policy shift. The incident brings renewed attention to reporting transparency and communication protocols surrounding deaths of individuals held within the U.S. immigration detention system.