Newark Mayor Ras Baraka moved aggressively on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, to shut down the Newark ICE facility known as Delaney Hall. He announced a new legal strategy to force the detention center’s closure, citing serious health and safety concerns. Moreover, the announcement came after days of intense protests, clashes between demonstrators and federal officers, and alarming reports about conditions inside the facility.
What Is Delaney Hall and Why Does It Matter?
Delaney Hall is a large federal immigrant detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. Authorities believe it currently holds around 900 people picked up in communities across the Garden State. WHYY
The GEO Group, a private company contracted by ICE, operates the facility. However, critics argue the company has failed to meet basic standards of care for the people it detains. WHYY
Furthermore, the city of Newark first filed a lawsuit against the GEO Group in April 2025, alleging they opened Delaney Hall without the necessary permits and inspections. WHYY
Mayor Baraka Announces Expanded Lawsuit
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced Tuesday that the city is filing a lawsuit against the operators of Delaney Hall to close the detention center due to reports of health and safety concerns. ABC7 New York
Baraka and city leaders said they will expand their litigation to call for the facility’s closure if state health inspectors are not given full access to the detention center. ABC News
Additionally, Baraka stated that the operators of Delaney Hall are not in compliance with various city codes and ordinances. CBS News
Speaking directly outside the facility, the mayor made his position clear.
“It’s troubling, which forces us to expand our lawsuit against Delaney Hall,” Baraka said at the news conference. ABC News
Key Allegations Against Delaney Hall
Advocates and elected officials have raised several serious concerns about conditions inside the Newark ICE facility. Specifically, the allegations include:
- Detainees are poorly fed and receive no proper medical care ABC7 New York
- Detainees are living in poor overall conditions inside the facility ABC7 New York
- One detainee reportedly suffered a miscarriage and did not receive adequate care afterward ABC7 New York
- Detainees carried out a labor and hunger strike for days over the alleged conditions WHYY
What Does the Federal Government Say?
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously said that the reports of poor conditions are untrue. Therefore, a sharp divide now exists between city officials and federal authorities over what is actually happening inside the facility. ABC News
Days of Protests Erupt Outside Delaney Hall
Protests and an alleged hunger strike have been ongoing since May 22, after reports emerged about the conditions inside the ICE detention center. ABC7 New York
However, the demonstrations did not stay peaceful. Baraka said the protests “started to spiral” into violence and prompted the city to impose a curfew. NewsNation
On Sunday night alone, anti-ICE activists counted 46 arrests outside the facility. Consequently, Baraka ordered a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew around Delaney Hall to restore order. Gothamist
Nevertheless, Monday night was largely peaceful around the facility, with no immediate reports of clashes or arrests. Gothamist
Newark Police Take Command of Protests
On Monday, Baraka said Newark police would take a larger role in overseeing activity around the facility after he criticized what he described as overly aggressive tactics during the protests. NewsNation
Additionally, the mayor said he hopes to restore pedestrian access to the front of Delaney Hall to allow peaceful protests to continue. ABC7 New York
He also said he hopes to lift the curfew as early as Tuesday or Wednesday night. Therefore, the city appears to be working toward de-escalation even while pursuing legal action. ABC7 New York
New Jersey Governor and Lawmakers Push Back
Governor Mikie Sherrill and several members of Congress attempted to enter the facility on Memorial Day as some detainees began a hunger strike. However, the governor was denied entry. WHYY
Furthermore, no New Jersey official or congressional representative currently holds the legal authority to shut down Delaney Hall on their own. As a result, the city’s lawsuit may represent the strongest legal tool available to local officials. WHYY
Governor Sherrill and other New Jersey Democrats have criticized the federal government for its response and have called on everyone to lower tensions. ABC7 New York
What Happens Next With the Lawsuit?
The original Newark lawsuit against the GEO Group went to mediation last month. Both sides received a directive to complete mediation talks by June 15. WHYY
Meanwhile, the city now moves to expand that lawsuit to directly demand the facility’s closure. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the GEO Group immediately responded to inquiries about the pending lawsuit. Gothamist
Therefore, the next major legal milestone will likely come before the June 15 mediation deadline.
Conclusion
The Newark ICE facility known as Delaney Hall stands at the center of a growing legal and political storm. Mayor Baraka is pushing hard to shut it down through the courts, while the federal government continues to defend it. Meanwhile, hundreds of detainees remain inside as their families and advocates wait for answers. As the June 15 mediation deadline approaches, all eyes will stay on Newark to see whether the courts or negotiations deliver results first.
