The City of Newark and Mayor Ras Baraka have filed a legal complaint against Immigration and Customs Enforcement for reopening a building, Delaney Hall, to prep illegal immigrants for deportation without following proper building safety protocols. The mayor stated that using the building for processing individuals in the country illegally violates state and local laws. The city filed a lawsuit against ICE in Essex County Superior Court at the end of March due to violations of construction work being carried out without the necessary permits. Delaney Hall is contracted by the GEO Group and has just under 1,200 beds.
Mayor Baraka emphasized that ICE’s agreement with the GEO Group to use Delaney Hall for detaining immigrants slated for deportation does not supersede the laws and procedures set by the City of Newark and the State of New Jersey. He stated that without compliance with requirements, Delaney Hall cannot lawfully open, and federal attempts to ignore or evade local laws and statutes will not be tolerated. The GEO Group accused local and state officials of trying to interfere with federal efforts to arrest, detain, and deport dangerous criminal illegal aliens in accordance with established federal law. It was noted that Delaney Hall operated as a federal immigration processing center for six years under President Obama’s administration without any opposition from local leaders.
Ice did not respond to inquiries from Fox News on the matter. Mayor Baraka, who is running for governor, previously criticized an ICE raid in January that led to the arrest of eight individuals, stating that none of them were serious criminals and that ICE went in without a warrant. He emphasized that Newark does not want an ICE detention facility and expressed concerns about the erosion of the Constitution. New Jersey state laws on illegal immigrants have also caused controversy among Republicans, as a directive was issued for state police to not pay attention to warrants requested by the federal government for immigration enforcement purposes.
A spokesperson for the GEO Group accused local and state officials of engaging in politically motivated tactics that threaten public safety and the local economy based on false claims about Delaney Hall. The group stated that politicians in sanctuary cities and those who advocate for open borders are attempting to interfere with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli condemned liberal Democrat policies that handcuff law enforcement officers in New Jersey, making communities less safe. This issue has become a point of contention in the gubernatorial race in New Jersey, with Ciattarelli arguing that the email his campaign received shows the frustration of law enforcement officers in the state regarding immigration enforcement policies.
