New Jersey state police in riot gear launched tear gas at protesters over the weekend as part of an aggressive response to demonstrations supporting an ongoing hunger strike inside the Delaney Hall immigration jail. However, Monday brought positive news: an 18-year-old high school senior, who missed her prom and graduation due to being incarcerated at the notorious facility, was finally released.
Release of Ariadna Zumba
Ariadna Zumba had spent nearly two months in Delaney Hall despite having no criminal record, according to her attorney Sterling Santamaria. She had been approved for special immigrant juvenile status, a category for vulnerable young people that provides a pathway to permanent residency and should have protected her from immigration arrest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not respond to questions about why Zumba was arrested.
Zumba's mother, present outside the facility upon her daughter's release, urged others: “Raise your voice, I know that you can.” She added, “Here is proof that it is possible ... don’t give up.” Organizers fighting to close the immigration jail and secure the release of detainees viewed Zumba's release as a victory, but acknowledged the larger struggle continues.
Background on Delaney Hall
Delaney Hall in Newark, operated by private prison giant GEO Group, has become a focal point of the Trump administration's mass detention immigration agenda. State and federal law enforcement have clashed with protesters on the ground. Hundreds of detainees, including Zumba, have participated in a hunger and labor strike that began May 22, citing abhorrent conditions. Letters signed by hundreds of detainees describe medical neglect, legal abuses, and months-long detentions, even for those who have opted for voluntary deportation. Strikers demand release from detention, particularly for elderly, young, and medically vulnerable detainees. They also seek a meeting with Governor Mikie Sherrill, who has not yet met with detainees, and an end to coercive efforts to pressure them into signing voluntary deportation papers, a common practice in immigration custody.
A spokesperson for Sherrill stated she “shares the goal of meeting with the detainees” but was denied entry when she attempted to visit the facility.
Protest Response and Police Action
Scores of protesters have gathered at the detention center in recent weeks. Federal agents responded with chemical irritants and allegedly targeted members of the media. Sister Susan Francois, a member of the Eyes on ICE New Jersey Coalition, noted that tear gas contaminated supplies in a key mutual aid tent outside Delaney Hall. On Friday, Sherrill called in New Jersey state police to replace federal agents in dealing with protesters. The state police deployed tear gas and kettled protesters who defied Mayor Ras Baraka's curfew. Dozens were arrested on Sunday.
Detainee Profile and Mutual Aid
Contrary to Trump administration propaganda, researcher Austin Kocher found that the vast majority of Delaney Hall detainees have no criminal convictions, and a large majority have no criminal history. Most are classified by ICE under its lowest security level and do not have final deportation orders; they are detained while their immigration proceedings are ongoing, a process past administrations would have allowed outside custody.
Mutual aid efforts have been significant in local pushback. Since last year, volunteers have run an aid tent providing food, children's toys, and clothes to detainees' visiting families, and have helped released detainees contact family. However, on Monday, volunteers found the aid tent had been ransacked, apparently searched by the FBI and ICE. The group Pax Christi New Jersey posted on Instagram that the tent was trashed, with federal agents spotted inside on Sunday. Volunteers continue their efforts despite an overwhelming police response, including checkpoints near the facility. The FBI declined to comment. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson denied the existence of a hunger strike and any abuse of detainees, stating, “Our ICE operations continue undeterred — now tent free.”
High-Level Action and Future Steps
The pressure appears to be prompting high-level action. New Jersey's health commissioner filed suit against Delaney Hall on Tuesday, citing severely limited access for state health inspectors. The city of Newark has hinted at similar action. Mayor Baraka announced that city police will exercise greater control around the facility, potentially reducing the role of state police in crowd control. He plans to lift the curfew either Tuesday or Wednesday night.
Sister Francois stated that organizers intend “to stand for humanity, against cruelty for profit.” She added, “The mission is to close down Delaney Hall, to respect the human rights that all human beings have — no matter what their legal status is. We’re seeking a humane response to something that is as close to evil as I’ve ever seen.”
