New Jersey Faith Leaders Demand Immediate Investigation Into Reported Inhumane Conditions Inside Delaney Hall

Newark, New Jersey — This Sunday, as thousands of families across New Jersey gathered with loved ones following church services, the men and women detained at Delaney Hall, the controversial immigration detention facility in Newark, remained separated from their families. Inside the facility, detainees continue to face fear and uncertainty amid publicly reported allegations of deeply concerning living conditions.

Motivated by the human toll experienced by those detained and their families, two prominent New Jersey faith organizations used their pulpits to issue a call to moral conscience and accountability.

Before delivering their Sunday sermons at churches in Elizabeth and Union City, the National Action Network, founded by Reverend Al Sharpton and led in New Jersey by Reverend Steffie Bartley Sr., and the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers, led by Reverend Raúl Ruiz, released a joint statement condemning the reported conditions at Delaney Hall. The organizations called for the Department of Homeland Security to immediately allow a full, independent, and transparent investigation into the allegations.

“The human suffering taking place behind those walls cannot continue to remain hidden,” said Reverend Steffie Bartley Sr. “We are hearing reports of people living in anguish, desperation, and abandonment. These are human beings who, regardless of their immigration status, still possess dignity, still deserve compassion, and are still children of God.”

Bartley issued a direct public challenge for transparency.

“The doors of Delaney Hall must be opened. Opened to faith leaders. Opened to human rights advocates. Opened to the public. No democracy should hide human suffering behind locked doors. If the allegations are false, let the truth be seen. But if they are true, then silence becomes a moral failure.”

Reverend Raúl Ruiz, President of the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers, delivered one of the most emotional statements of the day.

“Tonight, there will be fathers and mothers crying behind those walls, wondering when they will hold their children again,” Ruiz said. “And as long as even one human being suffers in silence inside that facility, the Church cannot remain quiet. Our faith loses meaning when we stop feeling the pain of others.”

Ruiz added that the allegations surrounding Delaney Hall demand immediate action.

“This is not about politics. This is about humanity. About people reportedly living with emotional pain, anxiety, uncertainty, and conditions no human being should endure. The doors must be opened so the truth can be seen.”

Reverend Bolívar Flores, Vice President of the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Pastors and Ministers, also issued a statement calling for immediate moral and humanitarian accountability.

“We cannot normalize human suffering simply because it is happening behind closed doors,” Flores said. “Every person detained inside Delaney Hall carries a story, a family, and a God-given dignity that must never be ignored. As faith leaders, we have a moral obligation to stand with those whose voices are often unheard and demand transparency, compassion, and justice.”

Reverend Jerry Smith, member of the National Action Network, emphasized that silence in moments like this would represent a failure of moral leadership.

“When reports of suffering emerge, the responsibility of the faith community is not to remain comfortable or quiet,” Smith stated. “Our responsibility is to confront injustice with truth and compassion. We are calling on federal authorities to immediately allow independent oversight so the people of New Jersey can know exactly what is taking place inside Delaney Hall.”

Both organizations also expressed support for New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, U.S. Senator Andy Kim, and members of Congress who have publicly called for oversight and investigations into the allegations surrounding Delaney Hall.

“We are grateful for the public officials who have chosen moral courage over silence,” both organizations stated. “Human dignity does not belong to a political party. It belongs to the conscience of a nation.”

The statement concluded with a message that quickly resonated across congregations, immigrant communities, and human rights advocates throughout the state:

“Behind those walls are also children of God. And as long as human suffering remains hidden in silence, the Church will continue to raise its voice.”