Inspections Reveal Significant Health and Safety Deficiencies at New Jersey Immigration Detention Center
New documentation, including health inspection reports and court filings, has provided the first documented evidence of unsanitary conditions, food safety violations, and concerns about medical care at the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. These findings corroborate months of complaints from migrants detained at the facility and have fueled ongoing protests and a lawsuit from the New Jersey Attorney General’s office.
The reports, reviewed by The New York Times, detail issues ranging from improperly stored food to unhygienic practices by staff, and raise broader questions about the oversight of immigration detention centers across the United States. Delaney Hall has become a focal point in the debate surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies, which critics argue have led to mass detentions and inadequate conditions.
Among the critical findings, a federal inspection conducted only three months after the Trump administration began using Delaney Hall for immigrant detention last year identified multiple deficiencies. A report from the Office of Professional Responsibility at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency noted problems with food refrigeration and determined that food was not adequately protected from overhead leakage. Inspectors also observed other potential sources of contamination, including condensation dripping into food freezers.
More recently, New Jersey state health inspectors, granted limited access to the facility in late May, documented additional concerning practices within the kitchen area. Records obtained through a public information request show that on February 9, a tipster had alerted the Health Department to “extremely unhealthy” bathroom conditions. While inspectors were denied access to housing and medical units, their visit to the kitchen revealed a series of violations.
They reported that food preparation surfaces were left unsanitized, and workers were seen touching open garbage containers while preparing meals. A particularly alarming observation was potato salad measured at 81 degrees Fahrenheit, twice the temperature considered safe for consumption. Further food safety breaches included two covered stainless steel trays of chicken stew found to be improperly cooled, and cooked meatballs in a hot holding area registered an internal temperature nearly 50 degrees below the required level to eliminate harmful contaminants. Inspectors also noted cases of soda stored in the same closet as chemicals and dishwashing machine sanitizer operating below proper concentration levels. Staff members were also observed not washing their hands in a timely manner, including before starting work and after using the restroom.
Beyond food safety, a significant public health concern emerged from an affidavit filed by Dr. Novneet Sahu, the deputy commissioner of the Public Health Services Branch of the New Jersey Health Department. Dr. Sahu stated that at the time of the kitchen inspection, she received a complaint from a physician regarding a detainee with an active case of tuberculosis. The physician alleged that an employee at University Hospital in Newark informed her that the inmate was brought to the hospital and subsequently returned to Delaney Hall without a follow-up plan to contain the infection.
The state’s efforts to conduct a comprehensive inspection of Delaney Hall’s infection control protocols and practices on June 1 were reportedly rebuffed. Consequently, the New Jersey Attorney General filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the center to grant state health inspectors full access. Dr. Sahu articulated the department’s concern in her June 22 affidavit, stating, “The department cannot confirm whether Delaney Hall is engaging in protocols or practices that pose a serious risk of harm to both detainees within the facility and to the public outside of it.” The lawsuit remains pending.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, issued an emailed statement dismissing the state’s lawsuit as frivolous. DHS officials also denied Dr. Sahu’s assertion regarding a detainee being diagnosed with tuberculosis. The statement affirmed, “All detainees are provided with three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap and toiletries,” adding that “certified dietitians evaluate meals.” DHS also noted that the state Health Department’s kitchen inspection in late May had determined conditions were “overall satisfactory,” seemingly referencing the immediate compliance after violations were identified.
Geo Group, the private contractor that operates the 1,000-bed Delaney Hall facility, also disputed allegations of substandard conditions. Christopher V. Ferreira, a company spokesman, stated that “in the event issues are identified, deficiencies are promptly addressed through established corrective action processes” required by ICE. The company maintained that its services include round-the-clock access to medical care, along with meals that accommodate religious and specialty diets.
Despite these assurances, detainees and their families have consistently lodged complaints about conditions at Delaney Hall for several months. More than a dozen current and former detainees, along with relatives and visitors who spoke with The New York Times, described jail-issued meals as frequently moldy, spoiled, or frozen. Visitors recounted common areas permeated by the acrid smell of body odor. Latif Hafraoui, 61, a Moroccan immigrant detained for 108 days before his release in November, described meals sometimes consisting of small portions of roast chicken, beans, and rice, and at other times, slices of cheese, bologna, and bread. He noted that meat was occasionally “very weird stuff” that most detainees refused to eat.
Detainees further complained of poor ventilation and reported being housed in overcrowded cells where temperatures were either stiflingly hot or frigidly cold. Azizullah Qasemi, 30, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, also contributed to the numerous accounts of challenging living conditions, mirroring concerns expressed by a wider community of detainees.
To detractors of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, these detention centers epitomize what they view as flaws and excesses in the administration’s efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. Critics argue that the rapid increase in detentions has led to overcrowding, mistreatment, and abuse. Conversely, the White House and its supporters maintain that detention centers are a vital component of immigration enforcement, asserting that the care provided to detainees surpasses standards found in most U.S. prisons and jails. The documented evidence from Delaney Hall, however, provides a new layer of scrutiny to this contentious debate, with concerns about migrant holding cells now extending from Arizona to New York.
Why This Matters
The documented health and safety deficiencies at Delaney Hall immigration detention facility carry significant implications for several critical areas:
- Humanitarian and Ethical Treatment of Detainees:These reports highlight fundamental concerns about the humane treatment of individuals held in government custody. Detainees, many of whom are asylum seekers or individuals awaiting immigration proceedings, are vulnerable and dependent on the facility for basic necessities. Ensuring safe food, sanitary living conditions, and adequate medical care is a baseline ethical standard, and violations undermine the principle of human dignity.
- Public Health Risks:Unsanitary conditions, improper food handling, and potential lapses in infection control, such as the alleged tuberculosis case, pose serious public health risks. These risks are not confined to the detention facility; infectious diseases can spread within the crowded environment and potentially to staff, visitors, and the wider community. The denial of full access to state health inspectors for evaluating infection control protocols further exacerbates these concerns.
- Government Oversight and Accountability:The findings underscore challenges in governmental oversight of privately operated detention facilities like Delaney Hall (run by Geo Group). They raise questions about the effectiveness of federal inspections, the transparency of operations, and the ability of state agencies to enforce health and safety standards. The lawsuit by the New Jersey Attorney General to gain access for inspectors highlights a critical battle over accountability and the balance of power between federal and state authorities.
- Integrity of the Immigration System:The conditions at detention centers are central to the broader debate about immigration policy. For critics, these reports bolster arguments that the current detention-focused approach to immigration enforcement is flawed, leading to systemic issues of neglect and abuse. For proponents, they present challenges to the narrative that such facilities are necessary and well-managed. The ongoing controversy impacts public trust in the immigration system and the government’s handling of immigration issues.
- Legal and Policy Implications:The documented deficiencies and legal challenges could lead to changes in policy, increased litigation, and potentially reform efforts within the immigration detention system. Court rulings stemming from the New Jersey lawsuit could set precedents for state access to federal immigration facilities, influencing oversight nationwide.
In essence, the situation at Delaney Hall is not merely an isolated incident but a microcosm reflecting broader tensions between humanitarian concerns, public health imperatives, and the practical implementation of immigration enforcement policies in the United States.
Allegations of Poor Conditions Spark Detainee-Led Protests at Delaney Hall ICE Facility
NEW YORK –An immigration detention facility in New Jersey, Delaney Hall, has become the focal point of a significant protest movement initiated by detainees and amplified by external demonstrators, drawing attention to alleged inadequate living conditions and challenges within the U.S. immigration system. The facility, which reopened as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in May 2025 under a second Trump administration, has faced accusations ranging from unsanitary conditions and lack of medical care to limited access for family visitations.
Accounts from detainees and their families detail experiences that reportedly led to a hunger strike and subsequent public demonstrations. Mr. Qasemi, a detainee who has since been granted asylum, recounted sleeping in a “freezing room” in December with eleven other individuals, stating he had “no idea why he had been detained.” Court records confirm his arrest occurred after he attended a routine immigration appointment at the ICE office in Manhattan. Speaking through a Dari interpreter, Mr. Qasemi conveyed, “I did not feel safe there.”
Another detainee’s wife, Gabriela Soto, 28, described her husband, Martin Soto, enduring a month-long stomach ailment at Delaney Hall before his transfer in May to another facility in Elizabeth, N.J. Ms. Soto stated, “We couldn’t get the medic to see him. After lights out, he would have to beg the guard to open the cell just so he could go to the bathroom.” These accounts paint a picture of significant challenges in accessing basic healthcare and facilities within the detention center.
The impact of detention also extends to families outside the facility. Ashleigh Gomez, 29, shared her struggles with visitation, explaining she drives two hours each way to see her husband. In recent weeks, she reported being turned away after making the long trip due to unannounced cancellations of visitation hours. The emotional toll on her children is profound, as Ms. Gomez noted, “Seeing him makes a big difference for my children. They’re always crying without him.”
Origins of the Protest Movement
Delaney Hall initially served as a facility for migrants until 2017 when it was converted into a halfway house. Its reopening as an ICE detention facility in May 2025 marked a significant policy shift. The internal protest movement began when detained migrants reportedly initiated a hunger strike, refusing cafeteria meals. Concurrently, inmates assigned to maintain common areas ceased their work. Using paper and pens, detainees documented their complaints, bringing their grievances to public attention in May.
The internal resistance quickly galvanized external support. Demonstrators gathered outside the facility, maintaining a presence for weeks and at times blocking vehicles. These clashes reportedly involved federal agents in riot gear forming shield lines and deploying chemical irritants. Dramatic images from these confrontations captured national attention, intensifying calls for Delaney Hall to be shut down.
Andrei Camurungan, a volunteer organizer involved with the movement, highlighted the unique nature of the protests. “It is quite unique in the sense that it was powered by the detainees themselves,” Camurungan remarked, underscoring the self-initiated nature of the resistance.
Community Support and Broader Context
New Jersey boasts a substantial immigrant population, comprising over 23 percent of the state’s total, placing it second only to California in terms of proportion. This demographic reality has fostered a robust and tightly knit network of volunteer groups dedicated to assisting detainees. These organizations have played a crucial role at Delaney Hall, providing legal representation and other essential services. They have also orchestrated a media campaign, disseminating messages from detainees, including publishing their handwritten letters, to raise awareness and garner public support.
Acts of resistance similar to those at Delaney Hall have been observed in other immigration detention centers across the United States, including facilities in Tacoma, Washington; Adelanto, California; and Alvarado, Texas. The Delaney Hall demonstrators, however, have particularly benefited from the facility’s strategic proximity to major urban centers in New York and Pennsylvania, facilitating greater organization and turnout for protests.
The movement has also secured backing from prominent religious figures. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Newark and a close associate of Pope Leo XIV, has been a vocal supporter. In June, Cardinal Tobin led a prayer near the facility with more than 50 people in solidarity with the migrants. Following the event, he stated, “There’s a growing number of Americans who see the situation as it really is. They cut through the ideology, they cut through the attempts to dehumanize people and they can see suffering human beings.”
The ongoing situation at Delaney Hall underscores the complex dynamics of immigration policy, detention practices, and civil resistance in the United States.
Why This Matters
The events at Delaney Hall highlight several critical issues at the intersection of immigration policy, human rights, and public accountability. Firstly, the allegations of poor conditions—including freezing temperatures, inadequate medical care, and restricted access to basic necessities—raise serious questions about the welfare of individuals held in immigration detention facilities and whether these centers adhere to established standards for humane treatment. Such claims underscore the ongoing debate about the privatization of detention services and the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure detainee safety and well-being.
Secondly, the detainee-led hunger strike and the subsequent public protests demonstrate the power of collective action and the desperate measures individuals may take to draw attention to their plight. This movement, particularly its origins from within the facility, provides a significant example of resistance against institutional conditions and reflects a broader struggle for agency and voice among detained populations. It forces a public examination of the rationale for detention, particularly for individuals like Mr. Qasemi, who was detained after a routine appointment and later granted asylum, suggesting potential flaws in the initial detention process.
Thirdly, the role of community and religious leaders, along with volunteer groups, in supporting detainees and advocating for their rights is crucial. Their efforts in providing legal aid, services, and amplifying detainee voices through media campaigns illustrate the vital function of civil society in holding governmental institutions accountable. The support from figures like Cardinal Tobin signals a growing moral and ethical concern within segments of the American public regarding the current state of immigration enforcement and detention.
Finally, the reopening of Delaney Hall as an ICE facility under a second Trump administration, along with similar acts of resistance at other detention centers nationwide, points to a persistent and evolving challenge in U.S. immigration policy. This ongoing tension between enforcement objectives and humanitarian concerns affects not only the individuals detained but also their families, communities, and the broader fabric of society. Understanding these dynamics is essential for informed public discourse on immigration reform, human rights, and the future of detention practices.