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Advocates urge county action on visitor parking and safety near Delaney Hall; commissioners pledge follow-up
Summary
Residents and advocates told the board Delaney Hall (an ICE-contracted facility) lacks indoor visitor waiting and adequate parking, leading to long waits, tickets and safety concerns; commissioners noted jurisdictional limits but asked staff to coordinate with Newark and follow up.
Multiple public commentators told the board they had encountered unsafe or difficult conditions for visitors to Delaney Hall, a privately run facility that community members say is housing people under ICE custody.
Terry Seuss, an organizer who said he works with Eyes on Ice and Americans for Immigrants, told the board he believes Delaney Hall is operating without proper permits and that visitors have faced citations and towing while trying to visit people inside the facility. "They have not received permits," he said, and asked county officials to work with advocates to ensure safe parking and access for visitors.
Kathy O'Leary of Pax Christi USA described long waits in hot weather and said volunteers distribute water, umbrellas and chairs to visitors who sometimes wait hours. She urged the county to allow visitors to use the county correctional facility parking lot on weekends and to amend signage, if possible, to reduce towing and improve safety.
Mister Jackson and other administrators clarified that street jurisdiction (e.g., Remus Avenue) is municipal and that the county has tried to limit operational ties to the ICE contractor; Jackson said the county declined to provide parking for contractor employees and that the correctional facility parking lot is intended for facility visitors. Commissioners acknowledged the complexity: Commissioner Gill said she will follow up, Commissioner Luciano described engineers’ and staff's position that the county will not use capital funds to remediate utility company work and suggested legal avenues where appropriate, and others asked for memoranda and coordination with Newark to explore safe options for visitors.
The public-comment period also included multiple other constituent items (a resident's request for tree pruning and unresolved roadwork complaints); the board asked administration to forward written questions to the appropriate departments and to provide updates in writing where possible.
Commissioners asked administration to provide a memo to the board after meeting with city counterparts and county facility staff so the board can track follow-up.
