Chinese Man Dies by Suicide in U.S. Immigration Detention Center

On August 5, 2025, a 32-year-old Chinese national, Ge Chaofeng, was found hanging in a shower room at the Morrisania Valley Immigration Detention Center in Pennsylvania. He was discovered by staff at 5:21 a.m. and pronounced dead after emergency medical services were unable to revive him.

Ge had previously lived in Queens, New York, and was arrested in January 2025 for allegedly using stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards in Pennsylvania. He was released on a $150,000 bail but failed to appear in court. On July 31, he pleaded guilty to two charges and was sentenced to six months in prison, which he served. On August 1, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detention order for him, transferring him to the Morrisania Valley facility to await an immigration hearing—just five days before his death.

ICE has notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. as part of its standard procedures. This is the second reported case of a Chinese national dying by suicide in an American immigration detention facility this year. In March, a Chinese woman was found hanging in a detention center in Arizona.

The tragic death has sparked renewed concerns about the mental health and living conditions of detainees in U.S. immigration centers. Advocacy groups have long criticized the overcrowded and stressful environments in such facilities, which can exacerbate mental health issues among detainees, especially those who have already faced legal and personal challenges.

This incident has also raised questions about the broader U.S. immigration detention system, including the treatment of non-citizens who are detained while awaiting deportation hearings. Some experts argue that the system needs urgent reforms to ensure the humane treatment of all individuals in custody, regardless of their legal status.

As the U.S. continues to grapple with the complexities of immigration policy, the death of Ge Chaofeng serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of these policies. It underscores the need for a more compassionate and comprehensive approach to immigration detention and processing.