Four detainees at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, have gone missing, prompting an investigation by federal authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that the individuals were unaccounted for as of Thursday night, and law enforcement has been searching the facility and surrounding areas to determine whether they escaped or are still on site.
The situation escalated as one detainee’s wife described a lockdown and a protest over poor conditions in the facility, raising her concerns for her husband’s safety. Local and state authorities have been involved, bringing additional resources to assist in the search.
Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed private facility, has faced scrutiny before, particularly after protests broke out in May concerning inhumane treatment of detainees. Representative LaMonica McIver recently faced criminal charges related to her visit to the center, where she expressed grave concerns about the abuses being reported. Her indictment includes multiple assault charges for allegedly interfering with federal officials during that visit. During the same incident, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on a trespassing charge, later dismissed. He has since filed a lawsuit against federal authorities, asserting that he was wrongfully prosecuted.
Baraka has voiced his apprehensions regarding the conditions at the detention center, highlighting issues like food withholding and inadequate oversight. He stated the need for local officials and congressional members to have the ability to monitor such facilities to ensure adherence to legal and constitutional standards. The situation reflects broader concerns regarding private immigration detention facilities and their management practices.
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