New Jersey ICE Detainees Continue Hunger Strike as Lawmakers Demand Reforms

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Congressional Oversight and Conditions at Delaney Hall

U.S. Senator Andy Kim and U.S. Representative Robert Menendez Jr. conducted an oversight visit to the facility on Saturday evening to meet with those participating in the strike. The visit followed a Friday rally organized by family members and advocates outside the detention center, which is operated by the Florida-based GEO Group. During their tour, the lawmakers reported significant concerns regarding the environment within the facility. Detainees detailed grievances ranging from the quality of food and water to the standard of medical care provided. Kim noted that the reports were consistent with ongoing complaints about the facility’s operations. “They talked about inhumane treatment. They talked about the poor food. They talked about the water tasting disgusting. I myself drank from the fountain,” Sen. Kim said. “It’s certainly problems that we need to make sure we’re following up on.” According to ABC7 New York, the congressmembers are pushing for broader systemic changes beyond immediate facility improvements, advocating for the release of the detainees. Kim highlighted the backlog in the immigration court system, noting that he encountered individuals who had been waiting nearly a year for hearings, as well as others who remained detained despite having won habeas corpus petitions or having received deportation orders months prior. Kim expressed frustration with the judicial volume, noting that one immigration judge in Newark was scheduled to hear 74 cases when the court reopened on Tuesday. “How can any judge have 74 cases before them to be able to actually listen to people, to be able to actually adjudicate on this?” Kim said, as reported by Gothamist.

Disputed Claims and Operational Stances

The official stance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—the parent agency of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—has been that “there is no hunger strike at Delaney Hall at this time.” This assertion stands in direct contrast to the accounts provided by detainees and their advocates. ICE policy dictates that an action is not formally recognized as a hunger strike until it reaches the 72-hour mark, at which point medical staff are required to intervene. Amy Torres of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) characterized the agency’s metrics as an “imaginary” threshold that advocates reject, emphasizing that detainees have been vocal about their conditions since the facility reopened last year. The strike has also involved a refusal to participate in the GEO Group’s “$1 a day work program.” Family members of detainees, including Gabriela Soto, have alleged that participants face retaliation from staff. Soto, whose husband Martin Soto is detained at the facility, reported that staff subjected her husband to extended interrogations, suggesting he was being targeted for his perceived involvement in the protests outside the gates.

Political Pressure and the Transfer of a Strike Organizer

Tensions escalated on Sunday when activists reported that Martin Soto was removed from Delaney Hall and transferred to another facility. Protesters outside the Doremus Avenue center attempted to block the transport vehicle from leaving, according to reporting by The Jersey Vindicator. Governor Mikie Sherrill issued a statement on Sunday addressing the mounting controversy, confirming that she has contacted ICE to request access to the facility. “I’m deeply disturbed by reports of the poor conditions at Delaney Hall. Unsafe, inhumane, and unconstitutional living conditions are completely unacceptable,” Sherrill stated. She further emphasized her long-standing opposition to private detention facilities and her commitment to holding the Department of Homeland Security accountable. Despite the governor’s intervention, some advocates argue the response is insufficient. Kathy O’Leary of Pax Christi remarked that the focus must move beyond reform of private prison conditions toward the broader goal of ending ICE detention entirely. “She’s not reading the room, and she’s missing the moment,” O’Leary said. As the Memorial Day weekend continues, the situation remains fluid. Detainees have stated their objective clearly: they are not seeking incremental changes to their daily treatment, but are instead using the strike as a mechanism to demand their freedom.