Full Breakdown
Hunger Strike and Alleged Force at Newark’s Delaney Hall Prompt Calls for Facility Closure
5/30/2026, 8:49:26 PM
Strike at Delaney Hall
On May 30, 2026, roughly 300 ICE detainees at the GEO Group-run Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, began a hunger and labor strike over the Memorial Day holiday. They complained of inedible food, limited medical care, and $1-a-day labor wages, while CEO George Zoley receives $11.2 million annually. Visiting hours were cancelled and tensions rose inside the 1,000-bed facility.
Facility Context, Key Actors, and Core Data
Delaney Hall operates under a $1 billion federal contract and has faced complaints, including a death in December 2025. The principal parties are the GEO Group and CEO George Zoley; ICE and DHS (Secretary Markwayne Mullins); Senator Andy Kim, Rep. Analilia Mejia, Gov. Mikie Sherrill; and activist Nedia Morsy. The 1,000-bed facility pays detainees $1 per day for labor and recorded 18 deaths in ICE or private custody in 2026, up from 32 in 2025. ICE detainee numbers rose from about 40,000 at the start of Trump’s second term to 73,000 at the start of 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
Senator Kim called for an immediate halt to alleged force and urged facility closure, citing congressional oversight. DHS said staff used “the minimum amount of force” and that detainees received medical evaluation with no serious injuries. President Trump called the protestors “fake” and paid. DHS Secretary Mullins warned that Newark could lose international flights if local authorities impede enforcement. Gov. Sherrill labeled conditions “unsafe, inhumane and unconstitutional” and reiterated opposition to private detention.
Criticism & Opposition
Make the Road New Jersey says ICE agents act “above the law” and likens the site to a concentration camp. Critics note the disparity between GEO Group’s profits and detainee treatment, citing past deaths and alleged obstruction of health inspections.
On-the-Ground Reports
Families reported canceled visitation, pepper-spray incidents, and detainee hospitalizations. Gabriela Soto said her husband was detained despite U.S. citizenship; Nedia Morsy warned of possible fatalities without intervention.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
DHS says no hunger strike exists and force was minimal; detainees, Rep. Mejia, and Sen. Kim claim an ongoing strike and excessive force. No independent medical reports have been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If true, these actions must stop immediately. … ICE and GEO have a responsibility to keep detainees safe: they’ve instead refused to let State health officials conduct full inspections and have repeatedly stood in the way of Congressional oversight,” — Senator Andy Kim
- “Someone will be killed if no one intervenes and shuts this down.” — Nedia Morsy, director, Make the Road New Jersey
- “, who has been inside the facility, confirmed that four detainees had been hospitalized after guards used pepper spray and physical force inside Delaney Hall.” — Rep. Analilia Mejia, D-NJ
What’s Next
Senator Kim urges the DOJ to close the facility; congressional committees plan oversight hearings. GEO Group contests Newark’s fire-safety demand, while activists plan protests and legal challenges. Pending lawsuits and DHS policy choices will determine Delaney Hall’s future.
