Brother of Queens man who died ICE custody searches for answers surrounding mysterious death

Yanfeng Ge clung to a photograph of his beloved brother, 32-year-old Chaofeng Ge, in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday — braving both the bitter wind and suffering the weight of an insurmountable loss at the hands of ICE.

Chaofeng Ge, a Chinese native and Queens resident, perished inside the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, an ICE detention center in Pennsylvania, in August. Yet, three months later, his family says federal officials still have not communicated with them regarding the details of his death.

Standing in Foley Square, across from the ICE facility at 26 Federal Plaza, on Nov. 12, Yanfeng Ge yelled in Mandarin, waving his hand around furiously, unable to understand why ICE had refused to give him answers surrounding exactly how and why his brother died.

“He was a kind man, a loyal friend and a good brother. His greatest flaw was that he was too sweet, too trusting, and too sensitive,” Yanfeng Ge said through an interpreter. “That is how he got into trouble and how he ended up in that terrible place.”

In whatever way the now deceased Ge acted in years past, his loved ones say he became a different man after living in detention, suffering primarily from extreme isolation.

The surviving Ge yelled in Mandarin, waving his hand around furiously, unable to understand why ICE has refused to give him answers surrounding exactly how and why his brother died.Photo by Dean Moses

Both family members and those with knowledge of conditions inside the Moshannon Valley facility say that Ge was the only one in the facility who spoke Mandarin, and not even staff could or would communicate with him.

“I know he was very, desperately, desperately alone, afraid and said he needed support, care, and kindness, but instead, he received terror and isolation,” Yanfeng Ge said. “It fills me with great sadness to think of his final moments alone, scared and in pain.”

Chaofeng Ge was found hanging in a shower at Moshannon Valley on Aug. 5; his arms and legs were bound behind his back. According to ICE, staff immediately attempted to perform lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead. His death was ruled a suicide.

The immigrant had been transferred to ICE custody for about five days after being arrested in January for allegedly using a stolen credit card at a CVS in Lower Paxton Township, PA. He had been held on $150,000 bail before his transfer to ICE custody.

Concerns other ICE detainees are suffering

32-year-old Chaofeng Ge in the aviary of the Queens Zoo.courtesy of family attorney

Adrianna Torres-García, a member of the Shut Down Detention Coalition, stated that other detainees have expressed great concern over the treatment they have received at the facility, including sparse communication with the outside world.

“We know that a lot of horrible things happen at Moshannon, we know that because we speak to people on the inside, we know people who are detained there right now and who have been telling us that everything that we hear from people who visit and say that everything’s okay is not true,” Torres-García said. “They describe not being able to get regularly clean clothes. They describe not having pillows. And then, you know, when someone comes to visit, they’re given pillows and then they’re taken away.”

Attorney David Rankin, who is representing the Ge family, said that on Wednesday, he filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in hopes of discerning exactly how Ge lost his life.

“It’s been a few months, and the government hasn’t told us anything. We don’t know how he died. We haven’t seen any investigation. There’s no one from Moshannon who reached out to us, no one from Moshannon has reached out to the family,” Rankin said. “One of the problems with Moshannon is that information doesn’t come in and out of it. He had attorneys who I understand he couldn’t talk to. And when you’re in Moshannon, you can’t just pick up the phone and call somebody. So, this is exactly why we filed the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit: to get some more of this information.”

According to Ge’s brother, the pair would work together in the construction business in China and spoke of him as both a colleague and a friend, adding that the loss has left a hole in him.

“I want justice for my brother, answers as to how this could have happened, and accountability for those responsible for his death,” Yanfeng Ge said.

In response, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said that ICE is committed to promoting safe conditions.

“Chaofeng Ge passed away at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center. All in-custody deaths are tragic, taken seriously, and are thoroughly investigated by law enforcement,”McLaughlin said. “ICE takes its commitment to promoting safe, secure, humane environments for those in our custody very seriously.”

Attorney David Rankin.Photo by Dean Moses