Crackdown
Immigrants detained inside the facility say they are living in squalid conditions, leading to a wave of protests
Until a week ago, most of the country had no idea where — or what — Delaney Hall is. Now, protests outside of the immigrant detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, have taken over national news, as militarized Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and New Jersey state troopers have attacked and arrested demonstrators and bystanders alike, seeking to quell resistance at the newest focal point of President Donald Trump’s war on immigrants.
The current crisis began on May 22, when a group of detainees inside began a hunger and labor strike over the “inhumane” conditions they said they were subjected to inside the facility, which is owned and operated by a private prison company called GEO Group. The detainees described disease, overflowing toilets, poor ventilation, and worm-riddled food — allegations that immediately sparked protests outside the facility.
For several New Jersey lawmakers, Delaney Hall has been an issue since Trump retook office — and most of them have been willing to put their own skin in the game. Senator Andy Kim, Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka have all made appearances at Delaney Hall since the president launched his brutal crackdown on immigrants last year.
