Brother of man who died at Pa. ICE detention center sues U. S. government

A lawsuit has been initiated by Yangeng Ge against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security, following the death of his brother, Chaofeng Ge, a 32-year-old Chinese immigrant detained at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center (MVPC) in central Pennsylvania. On August 5, Ge was discovered dead inside a shower stall, with a cloth tied around his neck and his hands and feet bound behind his back, according to the lawsuit. This shocking incident has raised numerous questions about the conditions and oversight within ICE detention facilities. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, also alleges that federal officials ignored Yangeng Ge’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which sought details regarding the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death and the conditions of his detention. Yangeng Ge submitted the FOIA request through his attorneys on September 9, but despite confirmation from the U.S. Postal Service that ICE had received the request, the agency failed to respond within the legally mandated 20-day period. ICE’s own Detainee Death Report states that Ge was brought to MVPC on July 31 after being convicted of using an electronic device without authorization. The report also outlines the emergency medical actions taken after Ge was found unresponsive. However, David Rankin, the lawyer representing the Ge family, disputes parts of this report, claiming that Ge had been held at MVPC for several months, contradicting the timeline provided. Rankin described the official report as “highly suspect” and stressed that the chronology offered little explanation about what led to Ge’s death. Further complicating the case, the lawsuit claims that Ge felt isolated during his detention because no staff members spoke Mandarin, and there was reportedly no effort made by the facility’s personnel to communicate with him. This allegation is supported by interviews with former detainees and medical records obtained by the family’s legal team. The family’s attorneys emphasize the importance of transparency and accountability, hoping that their suit will shed light on conditions inside Moshannon Valley Processing Center and encourage others to demand improved oversight of ICE detention facilities. Jeremy Ravinsky, an associate attorney involved in the case, criticized the government for “willing to violate the law” by ignoring the FOIA request and keeping the public in the dark about detainee treatment. Yangeng Ge, devastated by his brother’s death, expressed a strong desire for justice in a personal statement. He wants to uncover the truth behind the circumstances that led to Chaofeng's suffering and eventual death and seeks accountability from those responsible. The lawsuit requests injunctive relief and demands that all records related to Chaofeng Ge’s detention and death be released to the family. ICE has declined to comment on the pending litigation. Meanwhile, this case highlights ongoing concerns surrounding the treatment of detainees, language barriers, and transparency issues in U.S. immigration detention centers.