Trump to reopen 1,000-bed NJ detention center amid migrants crackdown

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The New York Times
28 Feb 2025 08:09

The center, known as Delaney Hall, will be the first new detention site established under President Trump’s second term.

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Ron Gochez, a teacher volunteering with Union del Barrio, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, waves to other volunteers as they head out to search for ICE activity in a neighborhood in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 27, 2025. (AP)

The Biden administration has announced plans to reopen a large immigration detention facility in Newark, just miles from Manhattan, significantly increasing the capacity to hold migrants in the Northeast, The New York Times reported.

The center, known as Delaney Hall, will be the first new detention site established under President Trump’s second term, according to Caleb Vitello, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Located near Newark Liberty International Airport, the privately operated facility will accommodate up to 1,000 detainees. Its reopening places New Jersey and New York—both historically pro-immigrant states—at the heart of the administration’s intensified deportation efforts.

The move reportedly aligns with recent ICE operations targeting immigrants in these states and broader plans to use military bases, including one in Niagara Falls and another in rural New Jersey, as deportation hubs.

ICE officials have emphasized the strategic importance of Delaney Hall’s location, citing its proximity to major airports as a key factor in expediting deportation procedures.

"The location near an international airport streamlines logistics and helps facilitate the timely processing of individuals in our custody," said Vitello, underscoring the administration’s commitment to mass arrests and removals.

Legal battles and political resistance

As per the report, the decision to reopen the Newark facility marks a shift in the administration’s approach to securing additional detention space, which has been a significant challenge as ICE detains approximately 40,000 people nationwide. While the agency has relied on military bases, including Guantanamo Bay, the Newark facility signals a return to more traditional detention centers.

Delaney Hall, operated by the private prison company GEO Group, had previously functioned as an immigration detention center before being converted into a halfway house in 2017. In 2021, New Jersey passed legislation prohibiting the use of private and public facilities for immigration detention, leading to legal disputes. A federal judge ruled in 2023 that parts of the law were unconstitutional, allowing a separate facility in Elizabeth to continue operations. The GEO Group later filed a similar lawsuit, clearing the path for Delaney Hall’s reopening.

The facility’s return has sparked backlash from local officials and immigrant advocacy groups. Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said, as quoted by The New York Times, that the move is "an emblem of how far we’ve fallen on immigration," especially given its proximity to the Statue of Liberty.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka vowed to fight the reopening, stating, "We will not stand by while ICE, under the heavy-handed policies of the Trump administration, operates with impunity." Similarly, New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy expressed his opposition, with a spokesperson saying the administration was "extremely disappointed" and would continue efforts to prevent such facilities from opening in the state.

Private prison industry poised to profit

The GEO Group, one of ICE’s top contractors, stands to benefit significantly from Delaney Hall’s reopening. The company has already invested millions in upgrades to the facility and has described the project as a cornerstone of its long-term business strategy.

During an investor call held shortly after ICE’s announcement, company executives emphasized the financial opportunities created by the administration’s detention policies. George C. Zoley, GEO Group’s executive chairman, called ICE’s demand for new beds "unprecedented" and highlighted the company’s pivotal role in the administration’s immigration strategy. The 15-year contract for Delaney Hall is expected to generate $1 billion in revenue. Following the announcement, the company’s stock price surged by 6%.

New York City’s role in the crackdown

The New York metropolitan area, home to an estimated 400,000 undocumented immigrants, has become a focal point of Trump’s deportation efforts. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has indicated a willingness to cooperate with federal authorities, including exploring ways to allow ICE a presence at Rikers Island jail.

Beyond Newark, the administration is also moving forward with plans to detain immigrants at Fort Dix, an Army base southeast of Trenton, as part of a broader push to militarize immigration enforcement. The base previously housed thousands of Afghan refugees following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

As Trump’s immigration policies take shape, the reopening of Delaney Hall underscores the administration’s aggressive approach to detention and deportation, setting the stage for further legal and political battles in the months ahead.