Delaney Hall Chaos: 4 Detainees Escape Newark ICE Facility A

In a stunning breach of security, four detainees escaped from a federal immigration detention center (Delaney Hall) in Newark, New Jersey, by breaking through a wall and fleeing into the night. The dramatic breakout at Delaney Hall an immigration facility operated by private contractor GEO Group has sparked national attention, ignited protests, and intensified scrutiny of conditions inside immigration detention centers.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the escape, which occurred late Thursday, June 12, during what multiple witnesses describe as growing unrest among detainees. According to U.S. Senator Andy Kim, the detainees managed to break through an interior wall, then breach an exterior one, finally escaping into a parking lot before disappearing.

The four men have been identified as two Colombian nationals arrested on burglary and related charges, and two Honduran nationals—Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez—who were detained on aggravated assault charges. Authorities are now scrambling to locate the escapees, bringing in multiple, unnamed law enforcement agencies to aid in the manhunt.

A Facility on the Brink

Thursday’s escape wasn’t just an isolated security failure. It was the culmination of days if not weeks of rising tension inside Delaney Hall. Detained immigrants had reportedly been living under increasingly harsh conditions, with reports of delayed meals, minimal food portions, and even unsanitary water.

Multiple sources, including attorneys, detainee families, and advocacy organizations, have confirmed that chaos erupted inside the facility on Thursday evening when meals arrived hours late. According to Mustafa Cetin, an attorney representing one detainee, the situation spiraled out of control as detainees began protesting, security cameras were blocked, and guards lost control of certain housing units.

“One of the walls was very thin,” Cetin told the Associated Press. “They knocked it out.”

Security Concerns and Unanswered Questions

Rumors of an uprising quickly circulated, with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka stating early Friday that reports of an escape were tied to a “disorder” inside the facility. Videos posted to social media showed protesters clashing with officers outside the gates, while others locked arms and pushed against barricades.

Despite these dramatic images and multiple eyewitness accounts, GEO Group the company operating Delaney Hall claimed in a statement that there was “no widespread unrest” within the facility.

But not everyone is convinced.

“It’s one chaotic moment after the next,” Mayor Baraka said in a Friday phone interview. He also criticized GEO Group for allegedly operating without proper permits and referenced an ongoing lawsuit against the company.

A Flashpoint for Protest

The escape has added fuel to the fire of an already volatile immigration debate. Thursday’s events occurred just one day before nationwide protests were scheduled to denounce the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) currently detains more than 53,000 people across the U.S.—a number far exceeding its budgeted capacity.

Outside Delaney Hall, tensions between protesters and law enforcement escalated quickly. Amy Torres, executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, reported that officers used pepper spray, tackled demonstrators, and dragged them away from the gates. Some sustained minor injuries.

Inside, detained immigrants reportedly faced even worse conditions. Miguel Orea, a program manager with First Friends of New Jersey and New York, said families were turned away as visitation was suspended and the cafeteria was being used to relocate detainees amid rumors of mass transfers.

“The families have told us the conditions were extremely poor,” Orea said, citing meal times as late as 10 p.m. and complaints of detainees receiving nothing more than two slices of bread for the entire day.

Lives in Limbo

For many families, the escape and ensuing chaos have only deepened a sense of fear and helplessness.

One New Jersey nurse, identified only as Kimberly, said her Brazilian husband has been detained at Delaney Hall for several weeks after being picked up by ICE agents outside their home. The couple, married for three years, shares a one-year-old child. Kimberly said her husband described the unrest beginning when detainees waited hours for food and were met with silence when they asked for answers.

“Nobody was talking to them,” she said. “So they got upset and started rioting.”

She added, “There’s nothing really I can do. The government doesn’t seem to be on our side.”

A Facility Under Fire

Delaney Hall opened its 1,000-bed expansion earlier this year under a massive $1 billion, 15-year contract—part of former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policy. The facility has since been the site of repeated clashes between Democratic officials and federal authorities.

In May, Mayor Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing after trying to inspect the facility, though the charges were later dropped. Around the same time, Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver was charged with assaulting federal officers during a protest. She has denied the allegations.

Senator Andy Kim said on Friday he was investigating reports of poor food, water quality, and the potential relocation of detainees following the escape. He called for full transparency and accountability from DHS and GEO Group.

The Fallout Continues

As the search for the four escapees continues, Newark’s immigrant community remains on edge. Visitation is suspended, legal advocates are being turned away, and uncertainty hangs heavy over Delaney Hall.

The escape has exposed not just a security flaw, but the underlying cracks in the U.S. immigration detention system—an infrastructure under strain, wrapped in secrecy, and often disconnected from humane treatment and oversight.

Mayor Baraka summed up the sentiment best:
“This isn’t just a security breach. It’s a humanitarian crisis waiting to explode.”

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