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City sues GEO Group over Delaney Hall operations, cites inspection refusals and stop-work issues
Summary
The city filed a lawsuit against GEO Group alleging the company refused required inspections at Delaney Hall, the site proposed for an ICE facility; the administration also said it will pursue municipal-court remedies if the facility continues work after a stop-work order.
The City of Newark has filed a lawsuit against the GEO Group alleging the company failed to permit inspections of essential systems at Delaney Hall, the building proposed to host an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, the city’s business administrator said.
Eric Pennington, business administrator, told council members the complaint, filed that morning, alleges GEO failed to allow access to inspect elevators, fire-suppression systems, plumbing and electrical work. Pennington said the city observed training classes at the facility even though there was no continuing certificate of occupancy and no zoning-board application on file. "They filed suit, actually, early this morning," Pennington said, and he offered to provide copies of the complaint to council members.
Pennington and other officials also said the city has a stop-work order in place and is prepared to use municipal-court enforcement under the city’s stop-work ordinance if the operation continues. City counsel confirmed the administration is pursuing both superior-court relief (an order to show cause) and municipal-court remedies tied to the stop-work order for any post-order work.
Council members asked to receive copies of the complaint and follow-up materials; administration staff said they would share the court filing with the council.
No court ruling or adjudication was recorded in the meeting transcript; the announcement reflected the filing of the complaint and explained the city’s enforcement posture.
