You may have seen videos of police and protesters clashing in New Jersey. Here’s what’s going on.
The Geo Group runs Delaney Hall, which is the largest immigrant detention facility on the East Coast. The facility has a $1 billion contract with ICE over the next 15 years to house immigrant detainees.
Last year, immigrant detainees complained about Delaney Hall’s unsanitary conditions in the bathroom; the food being spoiled and having worms in it; staff abusing the detainees; and detainees being denied medical care.
One woman had a miscarriage while she was there, and another man, 41 years old with no prior health issues, died and his death was ruled inconclusive. Fast forward to last month, when hundreds of detainees began a hunger strike to protest these conditions.
ICE, however, denies all of this, even that a hunger strike is happening. But word got out — Protesters showed up and so did federal agents. One of New Jersey’s senators, Andy Kim, was even pepper sprayed by those agents. All of this led New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill, who was herself denied access to inspect Delaney Hall to call in state troopers, in her words, to protect the protesters from the federal agents.
But then the state troopers clashed with the protesters. Some were hit with batons, pushed into traffic, and dozens were arrested. Alongside all of this, the state of New Jersey and the city of Newark are suing the Geo Group, claiming that the company is only letting state officials see a small part of the facility and not the entire thing.
Oh, and by the way, the Geo Group happens to be the largest operator of private prisons in America.
Ben Sheehan is a political commentator and digital creator. He specializes in civics education, which is showcased in his latest book, What Does the Constitution Actually Say?: A Non-Boring Guide to How Our Democracy Is Supposed to Work. Check out his Substack, Politics Made Easy.
