Migrants Continue Strike at New Jersey ICE Center Amid Clashes

Dozens of migrants at the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey are continuing their hunger and work strike for a fifth consecutive day. The protest, which began Friday, stems from months of complaints regarding unsanitary conditions within the facility. The detainees are demanding the intervention of state Governor Mikie Sherrill.

Governor Sherrill visited the center on Monday with a congressional delegation but was denied entry. She expressed concern over the denial, stating it "raises serious questions about what they are trying to hide from the public." Sherrill reiterated her commitment to closing Delaney Hall and opposing any expansion of mass detention centers in New Jersey, including a proposed facility in Roxbury.

During a vigil outside the facility on Monday, Sherrill spoke with families of detainees and activists, describing their accounts as "heartbreaking." She pledged to continue demanding accountability from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Senator Andy Kim and Representatives Rob Menéndez, Nellie Pou, and LaMonica McIver also participated in the vigil. Senator Kim, who was granted access, reported witnessing "chaos inside and outside Delaney Hall," noting that ICE's response, including armored vehicles and armed agents, escalated tensions.

Migrants have also reported medical negligence. Protesters formed a human chain on Monday to prevent potential transfers of detainees, leading to clashes. Senator Kim described the events as "more of the same illegality we have seen elsewhere in the country." In contrast, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin dismissed the strike as a "political maneuver by New Jersey politicians" supporting "sanctuary cities."