Newark Mayor Ras Baraka plans to file a lawsuit seeking the closure of Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed immigration detention center in New Jersey, following over a week of protests and clashes outside the facility.
The mayor's planned lawsuit comes amid mounting tensions surrounding the detention center, where demonstrators have been gathering to protest the treatment and conditions of detainees.
Baraka's administration has argued that health and safety issues at the facility warrant intervention, and the mayor has accused GEO Group, the private company that operates the center, of contributing to conditions that have sparked growing concern among activists and local officials.
The detention center, operated by GEO Group, has become a focal point for anti-ICE demonstrations in Newark in recent days, with protests continuing despite a city-imposed curfew.
At least 61 arrests were made Monday night in connection with the protests, and authorities have alleged that some demonstrators damaged barriers, threw projectiles, and set tires on fire.
The Department of Homeland Security has rejected allegations of poor conditions inside the facility, saying detainees receive meals, healthcare, hygiene products, and opportunities to communicate with relatives and legal counsel.
