Detainees at Newark Immigration Facility Report Hunger Strike and Confrontation

Detainees at the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, say they began a hunger strike in late May to protest conditions inside the facility and delays in immigration case processing. Two detainees who spoke to Newsweek on condition of anonymity described the protest as a refusal to eat and said participation declined after a confrontation on May 28.

May 28 Incident One detainee said officers summoned participants to the dining hall for what they believed would be a meeting with facility leadership. He stated that doors were closed after detainees entered and that officers restrained one person, elbowed another in the face, and deployed pepper spray in the enclosed space.

The same detainee said nine people were injured, one with a broken nose, and that some were later taken to a hospital and placed in solitary confinement.

Security said staff responded to a physical altercation on May 28 and used the minimum amount of force necessary. A DHS spokesperson stated that all involved detainees were evaluated by on-site medical personnel and cleared with no serious injuries.

GEO Group, the private operator of the facility, said staff implemented response measures in accordance with ICE-approved policies and that affected detainees received prompt medical evaluation.

One detainee said the water tasted strange, the food was tasteless, and overcrowding and noise made sleep difficult. He added that some detainees plan to continue the hunger strike despite reduced participation. A second detainee said officials began requiring detainees to sign lists when receiving meals after the confrontation.