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