A multi-agency manhunt is currently underway in New Jersey after four detainees escaped from the privately run Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark on Thursday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the escapes Friday, appealing to the public for assistance in locating the individuals.
The escapes reportedly occurred in the wake of an inmate uprising within the facility and concurrent anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests outside.
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According to a senior DHS official, “DHS has become aware of 4 detainees at the privately held Delaney Hall Detention Facility escaping.” The official added that “Additional law enforcement partners have been brought in to find these escapees and a BOLO [Be On The Lookout] has been disseminated.”
A DHS spokesperson urged the public to contact 911 or the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE with any information that could lead to the apprehension of the escaped detainees.
Reports indicate that the internal incident involved approximately 50 inmates at the Newark facility, who allegedly knocked down a dormitory room wall. The inmates’ actions were reportedly in response to delayed meal service.
Simultaneously, outside the facility, around three dozen individuals representing groups that frequently protest immigration enforcement were demonstrating. These protestors reportedly witnessed the arrival of heavily armed authorities around 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.
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The Delaney Hall Detention Facility has been a site of recent controversy. In May, Newark Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested after being denied entry to the building. Federal prosecutors later dropped trespass charges against Baraka, who is now pursuing a lawsuit over the incident. Mayor Baraka is a contender for the next governor of New Jersey.
Adding to the complexities surrounding the facility, Democratic New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver, who was present during the May incident involving Mayor Baraka, has since been indicted for allegedly assaulting and obstructing immigration officers during the confrontation.
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