On June 12, four migrants escaped from the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, following a disturbance that led to a major law enforcement response. A senior Homeland Security official confirmed the escape to Fox News, stating that additional law enforcement partners had been deployed to locate the escapees. The official mentioned that a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) had been disseminated to aid in the search.
Immigration attorney Mustafa Cet, who spoke to NJ.com, provided more details on the incident. He stated that approximately 50 detainees at the private facility had pushed down a dormitory wall after becoming agitated over the delay in meal distribution. Cet explained that the detainees had grown aggressive, leading to a violent confrontation. He added that the wall was not very strong, and detainees had been hanging bedsheets, which could have been part of an escape attempt. Furthermore, Cet mentioned that the incident also involved gas, which was reported to have been smelled during the disturbance.
By 6 p.m., numerous officers from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and the Newark Police Department were present at the scene, as reported by Rutgers University-Newark professor Whitney Strub, who shared images of the police presence. He noted that he and others outside the jail had been coughing simultaneously after being exposed to what they thought was a type of gas, according to NJ.com.
At around 9 p.m., a group of protesters blocked an SUV from exiting an ancillary gate at Delaney Hall, forcing it to back into the facility. PIX11 News reported that the escapees were seen running near Turnpike 78 and Delancey Street.
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka expressed concern over the events at Delaney Hall, stating that the situation involved reports of withheld food, poor treatment, and an uprising leading to the escape of detainees. Baraka emphasized the need for oversight, stating that the current situation lacked sufficient oversight of basic details such as local zoning laws and fundamental constitutional rights. He called for city officials and the congressional delegation to be allowed to observe and monitor the facility, highlighting the issue of private prisons in the state.
The incident occurs just two days after Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey, was indicted on three federal charges stemming from a previous visit to Delaney Hall on May 9. McIver was with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka and others during an oversight visit, which was initially described as a trespassing charge for Baraka, but that was later dropped.
Anyone with information about the escaped migrants is encouraged to call 911 or the ICE Tip Line, 866-DHS-2-ICE.