NJ ICE Detainee Was Raped At Delaney Hall, Attorney Alleges: Report

NEWARK, NJ — Federal authorities have launched an investigation into accusations that an immigrant detainee was raped at Delaney Hall in Newark, a report says.

An attorney for the 37-year-old alleged that another detainee sexually assaulted the man on June 25. He was treated at University Hospital and returned to Delaney Hall, then transferred to a prison in Mississippi two days later, Gothamist reported.

A Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the incident had been reported and that an investigation is underway.

The detainee entered the United States illegally in 2022 and presented himself to border agents to apply for asylum. He is married to a U.S. citizen and is seeking a green card. He has no prior criminal record, according to his attorney.

Read the full article here.

Delaney Hall formerly held immigration detainees for the federal government from 2011 to 2017 under the Obama administration, until it closed and was turned into a halfway house. The prison was the first federal detention center to reopen under the second term of President Donald Trump. It is owned and operated by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies in the nation.

Delaney Hall has seen a wave of controversy since it began holding ICE detainees again, including allegations of poor treatment, federal charges against the city’s mayor and a U.S. congresswoman, a high-profile prison escape, and a detainee who died in federal custody.

Hundreds of detainees recently launched a hunger and labor strike at the prison. Detainees say they are facing “inhumane” conditions, such as a lack of medical care, bad food and an unfair court system. They continue to demand their freedom, including the immediate release of elderly, young and pregnant people, as well as those with serious medical conditions.

Homeland Security and prison spokespeople have denied the allegations of mistreatment. The accusations have also caught the attention of President Trump, who claimed that the United States runs the “finest facilities anywhere in the world of their type.”

• Related: NJ Sues Owner Of ICE Prison, Gov Demands Inspections Amid Wave Of Complaints
• Related: Feds Can’t Squash ‘Sanctuary’ Policies In 4 NJ Cities, Judge Rules
• Related: Protester Struck By Car Outside NJ ICE Prison Plans Lawsuit, Report Says

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.