TRENTON – Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today announced investigative subpoenas by the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) regarding Delaney Hall in Newark, a private immigration detention facility owned by The GEO Group, Inc. The investigation will focus on whether GEO Group employees violated the civil rights of detained individuals, following reports of alarming conditions and recent deaths. Individuals with information can contact DCR’s Affirmative Enforcement Unit.

“New Jersey has a legal and a moral duty to stand up for the civil rights of people in our State,” said Davenport. “For detained individuals, including those held by a private corporation like GEO Group, those rights include the right to humane treatment and adequate medical care.”

Yolanda N. Melville, Director of the Division on Civil Rights, stated, “Our investigation will be thorough, impartial, and guided by the requirements and protections established by New Jersey law.” If violations are found, civil enforcement action will be initiated under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and the Law Against Discrimination.

Today’s announcement comes as litigation continues between the New Jersey Department of Health and GEO Group, with a lawsuit filed in June seeking court-ordered access for health inspections at Delaney Hall.