Calls for Closure of Delaney Hall Amid Unacceptable Conditions

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Senator Andy Kim recently met with families of individuals held in immigration detention facilities, which critics have labeled as “unacceptable,” especially in light of an ongoing hunger strike. Both officials, who are Democrats, urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow access to the Delaney Hall Center in Newark, where a significant number of undocumented immigrants are currently detained.

On a social media platform, Kim shared, “I returned to Delaney Hall with @GovSherrillNJ and others from the New Jersey delegation to meet with detainee families and talk with community advocates. We’re working with them to ensure they’re heard. Delaney Hall must be shut down immediately. ICE can’t operate like this.”

Demonstrators clashed with law enforcement outside a facility that has been repurposed as a migrant detention center. Some detainees have started hunger strikes to protest the living conditions there.

A community member, Cheryl, expressed her distress over the conditions at Delaney Hall, sharing her long-standing opposition to civilian detention facilities. She stated, “I will keep calling for the closure of Delaney Hall. I’ve reached out to ICE for access to the facility and am continuing to collaborate with federal representatives and advocates. Their ongoing oversight is commendable.”

Kim and Representative Rob Menendez attempted to visit Delaney Hall over the weekend but were denied entry. Critics argue that detainees suffer from poor treatment and abuse at the hands of the staff.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey described Delaney Hall as a danger to those in custody and a violation of essential rights. They noted local residents have united against the facility’s existence and the treatment of detainees.

Fox News Digital has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE for their perspectives on the situation.

Democratic calls for the closure of Delaney Hall have persisted. In May 2025, protestors, including members of Congress and Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka, confronted authorities outside the facility, reportedly clashing with security as they rushed past a gate intended for an ICE bus.

On the same day, Rep. LaMonica McIver faced federal charges for allegedly interfering with law enforcement during the protest. She reportedly confronted police to prevent the arrest of a fellow demonstrator.

Previously, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin had labeled many detainees inside Delaney Hall as serious offenders, questioning the rationale behind lawmakers defending them.