In opposition to the inadequate food, medical care and overall unsanitary conditions in an immigration detention facility in Newark, N.J., an estimated 300 detainees at Delaney Hall have been on hunger and labor strikes as of May 22. These detainees are supported by crowds of families and N.J. residents outside the detention center.
The demonstrators outside of Delaney Hall were originally met with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE), who responded to the protests with violent actions. With the use of pepper spray, physical pushing, batons and zip ties, much concern has been expressed regarding the ICE agents’ means of maintaining the crowd. More recently, the state police have been sent in to suppress the protests; however, many residents do not agree with the tactics they are using.
Communications High School (CHS) student junior Spencer Julewicz of Marlboro was one of many N.J. residents that believed the violence brought on by ICE and the state police were immoral.
“It is just appalling how much force ICE is using because everyone has their First Amendment right to protest,” Julewicz said. “They are doing it outside of the building or just peacefully. They’re not engaging, but ICE is using batons, violence and pepper spray to get these people back to the point that people have to use their own umbrellas and bring their own shields in order to protest because they are being suppressed by ICE in a way that’s illegal.”
Protestors and detainees have been joined by many government officials, including Sen. Andy Kim and Gov. Mikie Sherill. However, the presence of Kim and Sherill did not bring peace to the violent actions of ICE. Kim was hit with pepper spray in his eyes, and Sherill was denied entry into Delaney Hall after requesting to go inside and witness the conditions.
Many N.J. residents like senior Kyla Kidorf of Holmdel were concerned with the idea of their own governor not being able to enter the detention center.
“I definitely don’t think that’s right because, as the governor, she should be allowed to see the conditions. However, on another level, I do understand that it is a federal facility, technically, and she is not a federal public servant; she works for the state,” Kidorf said.
As the violence and arrests outside of the detention center have continued, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tried to implement a curfew on protests. However, Baraka faced significant backlash when he said that protestors and the media were not allowed to inhibit grounds within a half-mile of the detention center from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The curfew was lifted as of June 1 at 9:00 p.m.
Like many citizens, Kidorf believes that while the hunger strikes and protests bring awareness to the unethical conditions at Delaney Hall, they might not provoke the change that citizens are hoping to see.
“I do worry that it won’t pave the way for change because I feel like ICE is this rogue agency that doesn’t adhere to the standards that are set by the government at all, and this can be seen by the fact that Congress people and senators have called for there to be change and there has been no change,” Kidorf said.
The protests and strikes at Delaney Hall have brought significant awareness to the situation inside the detention center. Change regarding the inadequate conditions of the detention center has yet to come, and protestors have continued to fight against unfair treatment.
“It’s incredibly unethical. It’s not even unethical; it’s illegal. It’s a basic human right to be provided with these resources,” Julewicz said. “I think that it is especially appalling now because these people are just detainees. They have not been charged with anything except the suspicion that they might be illegal immigrants. So we’re depriving US citizens of their rights and putting them in extremely [harsh] conditions without any reason.”
