NEWARK,NJ – Today, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) was barred by ICE officials from speaking with detainees at Delaney Hall during his third oversight visit in the past week. Senator Kim’s visit came immediately after meeting with family members of detainees who expressed urgent concern about the conditions inside the GEO Group-run facility.
Below are quotes from Senator Kim following the meeting with detainee family members and being denied an opportunity to talk with detainees during his oversight inspection of Delaney Hall:
On being denied access to detainees at Delaney Hall:
“I just went inside Delaney Hall, because I continue to hear real concerns from those inside and their families. This time was different. Because this time ICE refused to let me talk to any detainees. They restricted my ability to do my job…I’m very concerned about the other stories I am hearing from the families of the detainees. Before I came in here, I met with several of the families of detainees, who raised with me serious medical concerns that they continue to have. They have only one full time doctor in this facility that has hundreds and hundreds of detainees. The American people deserve to know what is happening. We deserve the ability to hear directly from the detainees. [ICE and GEO Group] are doing whatever they can to impede congressional oversight and oversight for the American people.”
“The actions today [barring me speaking with detainees] is impeding my ability to lawfully do the oversight that I am legally allowed to do; this was a deep breach of my responsibilities and what the American people are demanding in terms of oversight in places like Delaney Hall.”
On conditions observed inside Delaney Hall:
“This [women’s unit] for instance – it is a place where I’ve had numerous conversations with women in the past, and while I can’t talk to them, the women overwhelmingly in one room were waving their hands and pointing and flagging to one woman who is curled up in the fetal position in one of the beds – and I’m trying to figure out what in the world is happening there and [the women] are frantic…and [ICE ] refuses to tell me what is happening to that woman…I have it stuck in my mind right now, is that woman getting the care?”
On the revolving door of corruption that oversees Delaney Hall:
“Do you want to know who started their first job this week as the new head of ICE? David Venturella, who just came from doing 12 years at GEO group. So, this is the first week on the job for the new head of ICE and he just happens to be from the company that runs this god-awful detention center, can you believe that? That’s what [oversight officials] are dealing with here – a revolving door of corruption – that’s the kind of thing that American people need to see.”
Earlier this week, Senator Kim spoke out against legislation passed by Senate Republicans that, if passed by the House and signed into law, will give ICE and CBP $70 billion without any additional accountability or reforms. During debate of that bill, Senator Kim introduced an amendment to require inspections on Delaney Hall. His floor remarks introducing that amendment can be found here.
Last week, Senator Kim led members of the New Jersey Democratic congressional delegation in sending a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche outlining a series of demands for immediate action and accountability, and to end ICE brutality and inhumane detention at Delaney Hall.
The letter built on months of work by Senator Kim to close Delaney Hall and end inhumane detention across the country, including his oversight visits this past week and previous inspections and direct conversations with those detained. During committee mark-up, Senator Kim also filed a series of reforms to rein in the Trump administration’s lawless ICE, including specifically to end inhumane detention at Delaney Hall, and introduced a package of legislation to end warehouse detention nationwide and prevent taxpayer dollars from funding ICE’s lawlessness.
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