Hudson County commissioners urge closure of Delaney Hall after public allegations of abuse

Hudson County commissioners on May 11 added to their consent agenda and approved a resolution urging the Governor of New Jersey and state law enforcement to take steps toward closing Delaney Hall, a private immigration detention facility in Newark. The resolution, introduced as item 24, cites concerns about conditions, protests and an ongoing hunger strike.

Public commenters told the board they had received reports and first-hand observations of violence and poor treatment inside the facility. "Prisoners reported that about 40 guards stormed the hallways, beating and pepper-spraying people," said Mark Bloomberg, a West New York resident, who urged the county to push for rapid state action. "Another person was left unconscious without medical attention," he said.

Jersey City resident Ryan Heisinger described the demands of hunger strikers and their families, and asked the board to reflect those requests in the resolution. "The first demand is that Governor Murphy and the sheriff go inside the facility and speak with them," Heisinger said. He added that strikers asked for the release of medically vulnerable people, elderly and young detainees and, ultimately, closure of the facility.

Courtney Walker, an organizer who noted that one lead striker, Martin Soto, was taken from Kearny, said families and local constituents are directly affected and urged the commissioners to center those demands. "These are abuses that they're carrying out in front of cameras," Walker said.

Commissioners approved an amendment to the resolution to "take any and all necessary steps to address issues raised by detainees who are currently conducting a hunger strike at the facility," and voted to add the amended resolution to the consent agenda. The clerk recorded affirmative roll-call responses from the commissioners present and announced the measure adopted and placed on the consent agenda.

During discussion, one commissioner asked how allegations of assault at a private detention facility would be handled under New Jersey criminal law and whether alleged perpetrators are sworn ICE personnel or private employees. Board members said victims may file complaints that would enter the regular criminal justice process, but that specifics for private facilities — including whether staff are sworn officers or private vendor employees — require follow-up from prosecutors.

The resolution text submitted to the board describes Delaney Hall as operated by GEO Group under a long-term contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and notes the facility’s authorized capacity of up to 1,196 individuals. It directs the clerk to transmit a certified copy of the resolution to the governor, the New Jersey attorney general and Newark officials and urges state agencies to conduct inspections, investigations and enforcement actions as necessary.

The board did not receive formal responses from state or federal officials during the meeting. The clerk will transmit the certified resolution to the named officials and the board requested follow-up information from prosecutors and administration staff on jurisdiction and reporting pathways for alleged criminal conduct.

The board added the amended resolution to its consent agenda and adopted it by roll call; no separate contested final vote was reported during this meeting. The board also asked county staff to report back on criminal-jurisdiction questions raised during public comment.