Federal Officials Dispute Protesters’ Claims at Newark Detention Center

Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center in New Jersey, has recently been the scene of ongoing conflicts between law enforcement and protesters. These confrontations have become more intense in the past two weeks.

Reports surfaced last month revealing that immigrants at a Newark facility were on hunger strike. They protested the conditions there. Demonstrators quickly organized, and New Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, demanded access to inspect the building.

Federal officials rejected Governor Sherrill’s request. They stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was removing dangerous criminals like killers and rapists from the state. They considered these individuals “the worst of the worst.”

However, internal documents obtained by The New York Times paint a different picture. The data suggests that those with criminal convictions form a small percentage of detainees at Newark’s Delaney Hall.

In early April, ICE ceased regular updates on the numbers of detainees in its facilities. The newly acquired data reveals that of the 591 people held at Delaney Hall in recent days, only about 13 percent had criminal convictions. Around 21 percent had pending criminal charges.

On average, detainees stayed at the center for roughly 80 days, according to the data.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees ICE. They issued a statement on Friday indicating their efforts are focused on rapidly transferring these individuals back to their final destinations.