'Inhumane, Unsafe': Visitors To ICE Prison In NJ Forced To Wait Near Metal Fence During Thunderstorm

NEWARK, NJ — Visitors to a controversial immigration detention center in New Jersey are being forced to endure “inhumane and unsafe conditions” in order to see their loved ones, advocates say – including being kept waiting outside in a torrential storm near a metal fence.

About five months ago, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) started housing detainees at Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed privately owned prison in Newark. It is run by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies in the nation.

The jail is the first new federal immigration detention facility launched under President Donald Trump’s second term.

Delaney Hall has seen a wave of controversy since then, including several arrests involving pro-immigration demonstrators, federal charges against the city’s mayor and a U.S. congresswoman, and a high-profile prison escape.

Some inmates and their family members have been complaining about allegedly subpar conditions at the jail, including bad food and subpar access to medical care – allegations that the GEO Group has denied.

“We remain dedicated to providing high-quality services to those in our care, including include around-the-clock access to medical care, in-person and virtual legal and family visitation, general and legal library access, translation services, dietician-approved meals, religious and specialty diets, recreational amenities, and opportunities to practice their religious beliefs,” a company spokesperson previously told Patch.

Visitors to Delaney Hall are telling a different story, however, alleging that they were forced to wait outside on a shadeless sidewalk this summer amid scorching temperatures in one of the state’s worst “urban heat islands.”

• See Related: Visitors Languish In Summer Heat Outside ICE Prison, Advocates Say

The situation hasn’t gotten any better now that fall has arrived, advocates say.

A group of six Democratic congress members from New Jersey recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Geo Group, demanding that the prison take corrective action by Oct. 16.

Signatories included U.S. Reps. Donald Norcross, Robert Menendez Jr., Frank Pallone Jr., Josh Gottheimer, Nellie Pou and LaMonica McIver.

The lawmakers pointed to an incident that took place at Delaney Hall last month as an example of the “inhumane and unsafe conditions” that visitors are experiencing:

“On Sept. 6, visitors were forced to wait outside along a metal fence during thunderstorms, that included torrential rain and lightning, without shelter or consideration for their safety. It is both shocking and deeply irresponsible to line people up against a metal fence during an active lightning storm, a situation that poses obvious and severe risks of electrocution.”

“Visitation plays a vital role in correctional settings by supporting family bonds and sustaining community relationships,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Forcing families, friends, and community members to endure dangerous weather conditions while exercising their right to visitation undermines the values of compassion, fairness, and respect that should guide any institution charged with the care and custody of human beings,” their statement continued.

“No one should have to risk their safety simply to see their loved one,” they concluded.

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