“The reports of unsanitary and unsafe conditions inside Delaney Hall are extremely concerning, and the GEO Group—like any other business and facility in New Jersey—must follow the law,” state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has filed a lawsuit against The GEO Group, the owner of a large immigration detention center that is currently “the focus of well-documented concerns about inhumane and unsanitary conditions for detainees.”
“The reports of unsanitary and unsafe conditions inside Delaney Hall are extremely concerning, and the GEO Group—like any other business and facility in New Jersey—must follow the law,” Davenport said.
In a press release. Gov. Mikie Sherill’s office said that the governor, along with other elected officials, attempted to visit the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark over Memorial Day weekend. The governor’s visit was triggered by reports that some detainees had begun a hunger strike in response to allegedly inhumane living conditions. The GEO Group then allegedly refused the comply with the Sherill’s demands for increased access and transparency, despite Delaney Hall being a taxpayer-funded facility.
“If the GEO Group—with a $1 billion government contractor—has nothing to hide and the conditions inside Delaney Hall are as safe and sanitary as this private corporation and the Trump administration claim, then there is no legitimate reason why my health inspectors are being kept from full access throughout the building,” Gov. Sherill, a Democrat, said in a statement. “The people of New Jersey deserve transparency and accountability, and I will continue using all the power of this office to advocate for the detainees and their families.”
Attorney General Davenport notes that, on May 28, the GEO Group gave the Department of Health permission to visit Delaney Hall for a limited inspection. The investigators were, however, prevented from inspecting “crucial areas of the facility,” including “the medical unit, sleeping areas, and bathing and toileting areas.” The GEO Group has reportedly refused all subsequent requests for access.
“The lawsuit filed today alleges that GEO Group has violated state law by refusing to allow DOH to conduct a full inspection of Delaney Hall,” Sherill’s office said in a press release. “As part of the lawsuit, the State is also seeking an expedited injunction directing GEO Group to allow DOH inspectors access to inspect the entire facility. Today’s Complaint and Order to Show Cause, filed in Superior Court in Essex County, asks the court to order GEO to allow DOH full access to Delaney Hall for the purposes of a complete inspection in accordance with State law.”
NBC News notes that controversy around Delaney Hall has led to mounting calls for its closure. On Tuesday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said that the city has spent years trying to hold the GEO Group accountable to local and state law.
“This is not a federal facility, these are not federal grounds,” Baraka said at a press conference. “It’s a private facility, private workers, and they are subject to state and municipal laws.”
Sources
New Jersey Sues Delaney Hall Operator After It Refuses Full Access to Health Inspectors
New Jersey sues Geo Group, private operator of Delaney Hall ICE facility
N.J. targets prison company running immigration detention center in lawsuits over conditions
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