Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) said on Monday she was denied access to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark, where anti-ICE protesters have gathered as detainees inside the facility continue their hunger strike for a fourth day.Sherrill and New Jersey lawmakers tried to enter Delaney Hall, but their oversight visit request was rebuffed by federal authorities.“My request for access to Delaney Hall was formally denied this morning, raising serious questions about what they are trying to hide from public view,” Sherrill said.
“I have long opposed private detention facilities and will continue to advocate for the closure of Delaney Hall and against any expansion of mass detention facilities in New Jersey, like the proposed facility in Roxbury,” she added.
The Department of Homeland Security sought to convert the 109-acre former warehouse in Roxbury into an immigration detention center. However, its efforts were halted in court this month when the department agreed to conduct an environmental review before any conversion work proceeds.
The Democratic governor’s office, alongside Roxbury officials, led the legal battle against the federal government.
In Newark, immigrant advocates allege that Delaney Hall, which has up to 1,000 beds, is not suitable for prisoners. Among the alleged inhumane conditions are medical neglect, lack of air conditioning, and poor food.
