Hunger strike continues at NJ ICE detention center as congressmembers visit

Key Points:

• Immigrant detainees at the ICE facility Delaney Hall in Newark are on a hunger and labor strike demanding better conditions and their release, according to New Jersey congressmembers Sen. Andy Kim and Rep. Rob Menendez who visited the site.
• Family members and advocates, led by Gabriela Soto, have held rallies outside the facility, facing threats to visitation rights and reports of detainees being pressured and interrogated by staff.
• ICE and the GEO Group deny current hunger strikes and allegations of retaliation or poor conditions; ICE policy recognizes a hunger strike only after 72 hours.
• Detainees report long waits for court hearings, denial of due process, and poor facility conditions, with one judge scheduled to hear 74 cases upon court reopening, raising concerns about the fairness of the immigration justice system.
• New Jersey officials, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Cory Booker, have expressed concern and called for oversight, but federal authorities ultimately control the detention center's operations and potential reforms.