Gov. Sherrill denied entry to Delaney Hall as rally, hunger strike continues
This was the governor's first visit to the ICE detention facility in Newark.
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill joined federal lawmakers Monday morning in her first visit to Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, but was denied entry to the building.
Sherrill's visit follows recent reports of a hunger and labor strike Friday inside the detention center as well as a rally that has continued around the clock all weekend. On Saturday, U.S. Sen. Andy Kim and Rep. Rob Menendez returned to the site for a congressional oversight visit. Menendez said on Monday morning that he's been on site all night.
Sherrill arrived at about 10:30 a.m. and remained outside, talking to families of detainees who gathered by the gates. She said she has been trying to get into the facility for days now. Sherrill is a state official, which means she doesn't have the same authority to enter the facility as federal officials such as Menendez and Kim.
Rep. Frank Pallone, who visited Delaney Hall earlier this year, said he was "shocked" by the conditions.
“People are languishing without knowing if they’ll have enough to eat or if they’ll be able to receive medical care if they get sick. This is in addition to ICE’s indiscriminate actions in our neighborhoods and communities. It’s a cruel, coordinated campaign, and it’s a disgrace," Pallone said in a statement.
Sherrill spoke with reporters and said officials have been getting reports about the conditions inside the facility.
"Everyone, regardless of your status, should be treated with dignity, making sure that you make your doctor's appointments and that you get your medication," Sherrill told reporters outside Delaney Hall. "We're getting reports that women who are menstruating have to ask every time they need products. That's humiliating. That's not the type of dignity we want people treated with here in New Jersey or anywhere in this country."
Activists say the hunger strike will not end until the detainees inside the facility have the opportunity to speak with Sherrill. In a statement to News 12, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson addressed some of the concerns protesters raised.
“All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Certified dieticians evaluate meals. In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens," the DHS spokesperson said.
DHS also said providing 24-hour medical care has been a "longstanding practice" once a detainee enters an ICE facility.
The agency also addressed Sherrill being denied access to Delaney Hall.
"Governor Sherrill’s visit to Delaney Hall is nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside the facility," the DHS spokesperson said.
