Gov. Mikie Sherrill said federal immigration officials continue to block her from entering Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed detention center in Newark run by private prison contractor GEO Group. Relatives of migrants held there told the New Jersey governor that detainees face unsafe and inhumane conditions that she called unconstitutional, and several had specifically requested to meet directly with her.

The standoff intensified after officials blocked state health inspectors from the medical unit during a recent visit, prompting New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport to file a lawsuit. Daily protests outside the facility swelled after detainees began a hunger and labor strike on May 22, leading Sherrill to deploy state troopers over Memorial Day weekend and Newark to impose a nearby curfew.

Sherrill’s exclusion reveals rising friction between New Jersey and federal immigration authorities. While members of Congress can inspect ICE facilities at will, governors must request permission under a February 2025 memo. Representative Analilia Meija told lawmakers that detainees complained of spoiled food and irregular medication, but Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew defended the facility’s conditions and medical staffing.