MONTCLAIR, NJ – Today, Cammie Croft, longtime immigration reform advocate and Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th District, issued the following statement in response to the death of a 41-year-old man being held at Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Facility:
“The death of Jean Wilson Brutus while in ICE custody is horrific. This facility must be shut down now. It should never have been reopened, and no human being should ever die while detained in a place meant to be under our government’s care.”
Croft expressed deep concern over the circumstances and called for full accountability, transparency, and closure of Delaney Hall:
“Jean Wilson Brutus was someone’s son — a human being deserving of dignity and respect. His death is a devastating reminder that detention must never mean dehumanization, and that families deserve answers, accountability, and justice.”
Croft also emphasized how her long-standing work in immigration and criminal justice advocacy informs her response:
“For years I’ve fought for humane, comprehensive immigration policy and meaningful criminal justice reform — protecting rights, expanding oversight, and defending human dignity. What happened at Delaney Hall underscores why this work matters: our laws and systems must protect and serve people, not put them at risk.”
ABOUT CAMMIE
Raised in a small railroad town, Cammie Croft was the first in her immediate family to graduate from college and has spent more than two decades in public service. Her Jersey mom–a woman who was raising four kids by the time she was 20–taught Cammie to be a fighter.
Cammie went from being a free-school-lunch kid to working in the Obama White House, helping pass the Affordable Care Act. She fought to expand human rights with Amnesty International and has always worked to ensure government delivers for working families.
Most recently, Cammie built a clean energy nonprofit from the ground up, helping families lower their energy bills nationwide. A mom of three raising her own family in Montclair, Cammie is running for Congress to lower costs and build a stronger, fairer economy for New Jersey families.
“Running for Congress was never part of my plan,” Croft said in a video announcing her campaign. “But I realized that one day my kids will ask me what I did, and when they ask, I need to be able to tell them that I did everything I possibly could.”
Cammie’s work will build on the strong foundation laid by Congresswoman–and now Governor-elect–Mikie Sherrill. Cammie will continue the fight to protect health care, stand up to corruption, and deliver critical investments in infrastructure and education.
For more information, visit CammieforCongress.com