NEWARK — Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, was allowed entry into the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark only after calling Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, while New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill was refused access to the facility. Delaney Hall is a for-profit ICE detention center in Newark that holds up to 1,000 detainees.
After his visit, Kim described conditions at Delaney Hall, including an "18-year-old high school student crying and saying she just wanted to graduate senior year." He also cited a "woman who had a miscarriage and left to manage all on her own" and a "mom not allowed to spend more than a few minutes with 4-month-old baby." Outside the facility, Kim positioned himself between ICE agents and demonstrators, holding up his arms. ICE agents fired chemical irritants at the group, and medics were later photographed washing out Kim’s eyes after he was exposed.
Sherrill, who was denied entry, said she had spoken with relatives of detainees who reported "spoiled food and lack of medical care" at the center. "What I heard from them was heartbreaking," she said, referring to family members and advocates.
In response, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended ICE operations and accused Sherrill, Sen. Cory Booker, and other New Jersey Democrats of "smearing ICE law enforcement." Mullin denied reports of substandard conditions, stating, "There was no hunger strike or substandard conditions at Delaney Hall." He added, "They should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these murderers, pedophiles, rapists and drug traffickers from their state." Mullin, who restored the standard 72-day training curriculum for ICE agents after replacing a shortened 47-day program, had previously said at his March confirmation hearing, "My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day."