Department of Homeland Security officials have vehemently denied allegations by New Jersey Democrats that detainees at the Delaney Hall immigration facility are engaged in a hunger strikes or subjected to subprime conditions and abuse during recent protests.
Lauren Bis, acting assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, stated there was “no hunger strike” and “no subprime conditions or abuse” at the facility. She accused New Jersey Democrats of spreading “falsehoods” and “smears” about Delaney Hall ICE during Memorial Day weekend demonstrations outside the center.
Bis emphasized that the facility serves as a critical component in removing dangerous individuals from communities, asserting: “These sanctuary politicians should be thanking ICE law enforcement for removing murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and drug traffickers from their communities.”
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., described his experience at the facility during Monday’s demonstrations, stating he was among those affected by pepper spray from federal agents. “I saw chaos inside and outside of the ICE detention center Delaney Hall today,” Kim wrote on social media.
Kim alleged that detainees were protesting “the lack of due process, the disgusting food and poor treatment” at the facility. He further claimed that instead of addressing concerns, ICE deployed an armored vehicle and armed agents who “poured gasoline on the fire.” Kim also reported civilians being “tackled and restrained” while agents used “pepper balls and spray into the crowd.”
The DHS countered by stating that detainees receive three meals daily, clean water, bedding, clothing, showers, toiletries, and communication with family members and attorneys. The department added that medical, dental, and mental health care are provided to detainees, noting: “For many illegal aliens, this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives.”
Other New Jersey Democrats, including Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. Rob Menendez, Rep. Nellie Pou, Rep. LaMonica McIver, and Gov. Mikie Sherrill, criticized conditions at Delaney Hall and called for its closure. Kim characterized the facility as a “failure” and stated: “The only way to make this right for our communities is to shut it down and make sure the failures we’ve seen never happen again.”
