ICE Agents Hit Delaney Hall Hunger Strikers With Batons and Tear Gas as 900 Detainees Face Scrutiny
Updated
Updated · WHYY · May 29
ICE Agents Hit Delaney Hall Hunger Strikers With Batons and Tear Gas as 900 Detainees Face Scrutiny
7 articles · Updated · WHYY · May 29
Batons and tear gas were used against hunger-striking detainees at Delaney Hall on May 28, advocacy groups said, reporting screams, unconscious people and blood inside the Newark immigration detention center.
DHS said ICE officers were responding to a physical altercation among detainees and used the minimum force needed to deescalate it; the agency said on-site medical staff found no serious injuries.
The clash followed a hunger strike over alleged spoiled food, inadequate medical care and deplorable conditions, with Delaney Hall believed to be holding about 900 people picked up across New Jersey.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said state health officials were allowed to inspect only a limited part of the facility, while Sen. Cory Booker, after entering Wednesday, called Delaney Hall a "moral stain" and demanded it close.
The privately run, DHS-overseen center is already under pressure from a Newark lawsuit over permits and inspections, with mediation ordered to be completed by June 15.
With officials denied full access, how can the public verify the true conditions for 900 detainees inside Delaney Hall?
What safeguards exist to oversee a rapid, multi-billion dollar expansion of privately-run immigrant detention centers nationwide?
Delaney Hall Detention Crisis: Allegations, Protests, and Calls for Reform Amid Ongoing Detainee Strikes (May 2026)
Overview
As of May 29, 2026, Delaney Hall faces a tense crisis marked by ongoing protests and recent disruptions to detainee communication. Activists continue to demonstrate outside, vowing to stay until all detainees are released, reflecting deep concerns about detention conditions. These protests put pressure on authorities to address demands for detainee liberation. Inside the facility, a recent incident caused a temporary loss of contact for detainees, highlighting vulnerabilities in their well-being and communication. Together, these events underscore the fragile situation at Delaney Hall and the urgent need for accountability and reform.