4 Detainees Escape from ICE Detention Facility in New Jersey Amid Unrest

The escape comes amid reports of violence over food delays, wall failure, and ongoing protests at the Newark facility that holds illegal immigrant detainees.

Protesters gather outside the Delaney Hall Detention Facility during protests over federal immigration enforcement operations, in Newark, N.J., on June 12, 2025. AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

Four detainees have escaped from a federal immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, amid reports of an outbreak of disorder at the facility, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed.

A senior DHS official told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in an effort to apprehend the four escapees. No further details were provided about the circumstances of the escape from the Delaney Hall facility in Newark, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) opened a 1,000-bed facility this year as part of the federal government’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

While much remains unclear about what unfolded at the facility—the site where ICE arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for trespass several weeks ago—the escape took place amid anti-deportation protests outside the detention center. There were also reports of unrest inside that led to the collapse of a wall that provided the opportunity for the detainees to flee.

Baraka, along with multiple news outlets and organizations advocating on behalf of some detainees, reported that disorder broke out inside the facility over frustration about food, treatment of detainees, and other concerns.

“We are concerned about reports of what has transpired at Delaney Hall this evening, ranging from withholding food and poor treatment, to uprising and escaped detainees,” Baraka said in a June 13 statement. “This entire situation lacks sufficient oversight of every basic detail—including local zoning laws and fundamental constitutional rights.”

The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice said in a series of posts on social media that Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) had inspected the facility and were speaking with families and supporters of detainees outside about “chronic reports of insufficient food, scalding undrinkable tap water, and understaffing.”

“They said an exterior wall was made of mesh and drywall and crumbled under pressure from people inside, leading to the purported escape,” the group said.

An attorney for someone detained at the facility told NJ.com that people inside became violent after meals were delayed.

“It’s about the food, and some of the detainees were getting aggressive, and it turned violent,” attorney Mustafa Cetin said. “Based on what he told me, it was an outer wall, not very strong, and they were able to push it down.”

The Delaney Hall facility has been the site of ongoing protests against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions, which include ramping up apprehensions and deportations of illegal immigrants.

Protesters link hands at the gates of the Delaney Hall Detention Facility to prevent vehicles from exiting during protests over federal immigration enforcement operations, in Newark, N.J., on June 12, 2025. AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

Protesters attempt to block a vehicle from leaving the Delaney Hall Detention Facility, in a protest against federal immigration enforcement operations, in Newark, N.J., on June 12, 2025. AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

The Newark mayor, who in late March filed a lawsuit against ICE’s usage of Delaney Hall to detain illegal immigrants, has called for enhanced inspections of the facility.

“This is why city officials and our congressional delegation need to be allowed entry to observe and monitor, and why private prisons pose a very real problem to our state and its constitution. We demand immediate answers and clear communication with the GEO Group and the Department of Homeland Security,” Baraka said in his statement. “We must put an end to this chaos and not allow this operation to continue unchecked.”

Baraka recently sued New Jersey’s interim U.S. attorney, Alina Habba, and Ricky J. Patel, special agent in charge of the Newark Division of Homeland Security Investigations, accusing them of false imprisonment and malicious prosecution in connection with his arrest at the facility for trespass, though the charges were later dropped. Baraka claimed in his lawsuit that the two had abused their power and caused him to suffer reputational damage and emotional distress.

In response to the lawsuit, Habba accused Baraka of political grandstanding, while DHS told The Epoch Times that the mayor was “trying to rewrite history with this frivolous lawsuit” and that the mayor’s actions that day put law enforcement and Delaney Hall staff in danger.