[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6535734,"mediaKeyId","3378052-960f33abafc53584476fd0e22a401c05","parentId",3378052,"title","Residents, advocacy groups urge Union County to block sale of jail for immigration detention, demand RFP restrictions","audioSeconds",3767,"startMs",627000,"endMs",4394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3378052-960f33abafc53584476fd0e22a401c05&start=627&end=4394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3378052-960f33abafc53584476fd0e22a401c05/thumbnail_627000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6535734/Union-County/New-Jersey/Residents-advocacy-groups-urge-Union-County-to-block-sale-of-jail-for-immigration-detention-demand-RFP-restrictions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535734-a33344dd6ddb339ff548b5d23a3ed1df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014214&Signature=bqWms4oDY9-UmPBjn61s0tJ8TNwTqiAy~0ieIMFebkf5nZhrp1skrIxeMW7jRLMVoslMb~rJsbN-kbqyxZ-HfiDWfMezJOlx~OOnW3H3qBwuw3XW150A94fT~qqbaJG~CqPBnZjVliKsVTp6dJki2aWyTDoTA0N8RO~czIFQLkicD-Oi1VI-Wg9TfrjWyFRAYtX4HVrcneLINPzK~0kUNEncG72yreLcWAuvGT0szK6LG5x4LaXQIrOkqUHRAAy28Gi~e3B6KFrpJd9URzOymDb7xxz9VYg5B3ew0vHzbFS0JJj6Dcv4ETcRCESBGYygcna~B3kOskZlxP6oM-u8wA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Union County","date","2025-05-19T11:37:21Z","article","Hundreds of residents, clergy and civil-rights advocates addressed the Union County Board of County Commissioners during the public-comment portion of the meeting to oppose any sale or lease of the county jail that could enable immigration detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or for‑profit prison operators.

Speakers represented organizations including Make the Road New Jersey, Resistencia, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, the ACLU of New Jersey and Pax Christi. Common themes were calls for the board to restrict any future RFP so the property cannot be used for immigrant detention, to issue a public resolution opposing use of the facility for that purpose, and to consider alternative community uses such as transitional housing or job‑training programs.

Amika Chalia, speaking for the ACLU of New Jersey, warned the commission that proceeding without an RFP containing restrictions would “go completely against everything you have heard from people of this community and of this county and of this state.” Citing reporting she said indicated Delaney Hall in Newark was operating at about 15 percent capacity, Chalia said nearby beds would make local enforcement more intense and asked: “Whose families will be torn apart?”

Multiple speakers described encounters at Delaney Hall and the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka during a demonstration there. Adam McGovern of Wind of the Spirit asked the board to disclose the draft RFP and the terms under which the county would accept bids. “I want to see what's in that RFP and when you'll reveal it to the light of day and to your own constituent's view,” he said. Several speakers urged the county to legally restrict the bid before proposals are accepted so the county is not compelled by law to accept the highest monetary offer if it is from a private prison operator.

Other speakers cited rights and religious arguments, recounted experiences of people detained at immigration facilities, or urged economic alternatives to incarceration. A number of speakers named private operators CoreCivic and GEO Group as companies they feared could run a detention facility and urged commissioners to block any sale to those companies.

Commissioners responded during the meeting. Commissioner Williams said the RFP process “has not been completed as yet” and characterized the current step as gauging interest in the property, not an automatic approval for a detention facility. Commissioner Granados and others told speakers the board is listening and that several commissioners oppose using the site as a detention facility. County officials did not adopt a resolution banning sale for detention during the meeting.

Speakers who raised specific procedural or legal concerns included Arman Aliaskarpur, a representative of a local bidder, who referenced NJ contracting statutes when questioning whether a bid and subsequent contract could be split among vendors. The board's solicitor said objections filed on the RCCP bid had been reviewed and recommended proceeding with awarding that resolution.

No formal vote specifically restricting use of the jail property for immigration detention was recorded at the meeting; commissioners said further steps would follow as the RFP process continues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","UCBOCC 051525 R","oneSentenceSummary","Residents, clergy and civil-rights groups urged the Union County Board of County Commissioners to prevent the sale or lease of the county jail for immigration detention, asking the board to add legal restrictions to a pending request for proposals and to issue a public statement opposing such a use.","taxTitle","Union County, New Jersey","taxId",2731,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6535739,"Union County adopts ordinance raising leaf-compost tipping fees; surrogate office to pass through credit-card fees",266,250000,516000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3378052-960f33abafc53584476fd0e22a401c05&start=250&end=516","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3378052-960f33abafc53584476fd0e22a401c05/thumbnail_250000.jpg","/articles/6535739/Union-County/New-Jersey/Union-County-adopts-ordinance-raising-leaf-compost-tipping-fees-surrogate-office-to-pass-through-credit-card-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535739-51e1afc9ca2de700447e1a4e4e9f8b59/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014214&Signature=CeqnpA6KkbWy7~kToCtUC2LwaNemlNm~b6k9iRUEVqkbzqfz9fAdPPy-ct2qmkSlqJLhzPQl4E6K50E511YXgsUWcsKWr6e9kxWPyg622EMcApOrgMbWkNoQOr3HIsSV67IPAk2ub08j67nvqbT~kY5XP9TxqGDg~Al45Rq6IiUpoZmSFoXshN6HskHRhwGm-Zv8KI-CzEBph0CqB5QYfF5jrWz4rRTrtj6gpP-1WQOt~e4-Q6L~SAjdteUw9N5hcHLVMAKcZsDHQgayj9xk4F5YttvVf3xGZod60CLcNAzdYxm3Eci3CcScYE-qGOx5s5gfHME4xkho7cWCFz1qLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its regular meeting, the Union County Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 857-2025, amending county administrative code fees for public works and the surrogate’s office. Subcommittee Chairman Bodek moved the ordinance for final reading; Commissioner Kowalski seconded it and the clerk recorded an affirmative roll call that the record shows as eight votes in favor.

The question most raised during the public hearing came from resident Bruce Patterson of Garwood, who asked the board to explain which fees were being added or increased and whether the new charges related to the surrogate's office were intended to cover a budget cap overrun. County Counsel responded that the public-works changes are “initial fees for the public works department” — specifically modest increases to “tipping fees at our leaf composting facility,” and that they remain “still below market to my understanding, but it will help keep that operation running.” On the surrogate office item, County Counsel said the change is to permit the county to pass along credit-card processing fees to users. “The fees will have no add on. The cost to the consumer will be strictly the amount charged to the county by the credit card company with nothing added on,” Counsel said.

The ordinance text read into the record describes the amendments as changes to Part 2, Policies and General Legislation, Chapter 49 (Fees), Article 5 (Engineering and Public Work Fees) and Article 7 (Office of the Union County Surrogate Fees). After public comment and the motion, the clerk called the roll and recorded affirmative votes by Commissioner Baker, Commissioner Delasvoort, Commissioner Kowalski, Commissioner Mirabella, Mister Palmeri Mudett, Commissioner Williams, Vice Chairman Bodek and Chairwoman Leon.

The board also handled routine business in the same meeting including approval of communications and minutes and a consent-line motion to adopt a long list of resolutions (see separate votes summary).","The Union County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt Ordinance 857-2025, which raises tipping fees at the county's leaf composting facility and authorizes pass-through credit-card charges for the surrogate's office. The ordinance passed by roll call after brief public comment.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents, advocacy groups urge Union County to block sale of jail for immigration detention, demand RFP restrictions

Union County adopts ordinance raising leaf-compost tipping fees; surrogate office to pass through credit-card fees