‘We demand freedom’: Immigrants on strike in New Jersey prison
On a patch of sidewalk located on a busy industrial corridor in Newark, a dramatic scene unfolded as federal agents, equipped with rifles, metal batons, flak vests, and balaclavas,stood face to face with unarmed activists who were armed with nothing but cardboard signs and a bullhorn. Behind the prison walls, on a soccer field, detained workers could be heard shouting in Spanish, their voices echoing loudly as they chanted "¡Libertad!" which translates to "Freedom!" in English.
It has been over a week since May 22, when approximately 300 of these workers embarked on a courageous work stoppage and hunger strike, seeking to bring attention to their plight and demand improvements in their living conditions. Through a video chat, one of the workers addressed the crowd that had gathered outside, explaining that they had ceased eating and working in protest of the meager wages they received, which were as little as $1 an hour, or in some cases, no pay at all. The worker emphasized that their demands extended far beyond better working conditions, stating, "But that's not all we demand, we are also doing this to demand freedom, because we are not treated like people, we are treated like animals."
The hunger strikers have presented a list of demands, which includes a meeting with the governor, the release of young and elderly detainees, as well as all medically vulnerable individuals, and ultimately, freedom for all those being held. For months, a dedicated group of activists from the ICE Out of NJ coalition, which comprises the immigrant rights group Cosecha, the Catholic advocacy group Pax Christi, and the worker center New Labor, has been staging protests outside Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed privately owned detention center where immigrants, predominantly from Latino backgrounds, are being detained without due process. Families and lawyers of the detainees have reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, as well as guards employed by the GEO Group, the private-prison contractor, have been denying them essential medical care, serving them food that is infested with worms, and refusing them access to bail bonds or their lawyers.
Many of the detainees were taken into custody while working at construction job sites or while still wearing their service-industry work clothes, while others were apprehended at courthouses where they had gone to attend green-card appointments. As one worker, identified as Brian, wrote in a heartfelt, handwritten letter in early May, co-signed by 300 others with their names redacted, "In our cases, we had already been processed, we were complying with legal requirements, and there was no order from a judge for our detention or arrest." The letter, which pleaded for help from elected officials, further emphasized that "ICE officers did not take into account the fact that there was already an immigration court date, and they arrested us during check-in appointments at USCIS facilities."
The workers decided to go on strike in an effort to directly impact the bottom line of their jailers, but unfortunately, they were already struggling with hunger, and their health has continued to deteriorate as a result of the strike. As Luis, a released hunger striker, shared with Radio Jornalera, "People aren't eating because of the strike we are organizing and there's no medical assistance." Speaking with his back to the camera, in an effort to conceal his identity and avoid potential retaliation from ICE, Luis revealed that another detainee had become severely dehydrated and was unable to walk, highlighting the dire conditions and scarcity of food, which was already a concern even before the strike began.
When hunger strikers required medical assistance at the nursing center within the prison, they were met with resistance, as Luis explained, "they wouldn't lend us the wheelchair." As a result, the strikers had to take matters into their own hands, administering their own medication and providing themselves with liquids containing sugar and a small amount of salt to compensate for the loss of electrolytes. According to Luis, the detention process has been marred by a lack of due process, as he was detained by ICE during a routine check-in, a situation that typically does not occur for individuals with ongoing legal cases in the immigration system. Furthermore, people without criminal records have been subjected to exorbitant bail fees, sometimes exceeding $50,000, or have been denied release on bond altogether. Luis revealed to the Guardian, "If they freed us, we wouldn't generate profit for this business." On a national scale, the majority of imprisoned immigrants, at least through 2025, have had no prior criminal records. As reported by the American Prospect, the GEO Group has been reaping record profits from a federal contract valued at $1 billion, with some of these profits derived from the labor of imprisoned immigrants who work for little or no pay. Workers have alleged that they are coerced into participating in the government's supposedly Voluntary Work Program through the use of solitary confinement and other forms of torture. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery, but with a notable exception: "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." Regardless of conviction status, all labor holds value, but what is particularly egregious is that immigrants in ICE jails have not been convicted and are being denied due process. In what is being described by activists as retaliation, on May 28, GEO guards and ICE agents responded to the hunger strike and work stoppage with violent beatings. Detainees have reported to their lawyers and families that striking units have had the building's ventilation cut off, while the floors in some cells are smeared with the blood of detainees. Nedia Morsy, director of the nonprofit Make the Road NJ, stated, "Right now, there are ICE agents inside Delaney Hall violently beating the hunger strikers. Someone will be killed if no one intervenes and shuts this down."
Gabriela Fuentes recounted how her husband, Jose Marroquin, called her around 1:30 p.m. to inform her that they were being beaten and pepper-sprayed, an incident that began when ICE agents attempted to take away the only person who translates for them in the unit. Fuentes explained that her husband told her, "They wanted to take him away," which led to the other prisoners protesting and asking that he not be taken. As a result, ICE agents arrived at the unit and attempted to cuff him, sparking a confrontation. According to Fuentes, the detainees raised their hands to indicate that they did not want to engage in a physical altercation, but the guards nonetheless took them to their cells. Fuentes continued, "And then there were the prisoners banging on the doors, pleading to be let out."
The wife of a detainee has come forward with disturbing allegations, stating that her husband informed her that there was blood on the floor and walls of the facility, which the agents were attempting to clean up, clearly indicating that they were aware of their own wrongdoing.
In a public statement, Fuentes explained that she immediately rushed to the prison to express her concerns about the situation unfolding inside, and upon her arrival, she witnessed one of the detainees being taken away by an ambulance due to a guard having broken his nose.
According to officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, agents responded to a physical altercation involving detainees at Delaney Hall, which led to the current situation. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Markwyane Mullin has taken a more aggressive stance, threatening to retaliate against sanctuary cities by withdrawing Customs and Border Protection officers from airports. It is worth noting that even before the current strike, speaking out about the conditions inside the prison was often met with retaliation, making it challenging for detainees and their families to voice their concerns.
As Jordi Alvarado mentioned in an interview with local news outlet NJ.com in early May, the detainees have to be extremely cautious about what they say and do, as they are constantly being monitored. In a striking incident, Alvarado's face suddenly disappeared from the screen of the iPhone that advocates were using to call him, and a message popped up indicating that the call had been paused, followed by another message stating that the call had ended.
Local and federal elected officials have released statements strongly condemning the deplorable living conditions and treatment of detainees at the facility. New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat, took a bold step by visiting the prison on May 25, and after witnessing the situation firsthand, he joined the protesters outside, where he was subsequently pepper-sprayed. However, the ICE Out of NJ coalition is demanding more concrete action from the authorities, emphasizing that elected officials, the Governor, and the Attorney General can no longer afford to ignore the situation unfolding behind the walls of the detention center.
As Jorge Torres of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network stated, the authorities must take immediate action, enter the facility, and speak directly with the detainees to hold GEO Group and ICE accountable for the violence and mistreatment. The detained immigrant workers have written multiple letters to legislators, pleading for their release, but unfortunately, they have not received any response.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill expressed her concerns about the facility, stating that she never believed Delaney Hall should have been opened in the first place, citing the state's law against privately run detention facilities. The fact that she was denied access to the facility raises serious concerns, and as she pointed out, it suggests that there may be some truth to the allegations of mistreatment and misconduct.
The blatant impunity and lack of accountability are evident both inside and outside the immigration detention center. On the night of May 27, federal agents used excessive force against protesters, striking them with batons and pushing one protester into the path of a tractor-trailer wheel, as shown in a disturbing video. On Thursday, after reports of assaults on detainees began to circulate, some local elected officials were finally allowed to enter the prison, although their access was still limited. On the same day, the New Jersey Department of Health was denied full access to the facility for an inspection, which further raises concerns about the conditions inside. The reports of mistreatment and abuse often come from the families of the detained, who are desperate for answers and action from the authorities.
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman revealed that she has been receiving disturbing reports from constituents who have family members being held inside detention facilities, including a mother who is allegedly being beaten by ICE agents and an 11-year-old girl who spoke to her father inside and reported that many people are being left bloodied. According to NJ.com, on the afternoon of May 28, Coleman shared these alarming accounts, highlighting the dire situation faced by those being detained.
Gabriela Soto's husband, Martin Soto Hernandez, was detained by ICE in January while he was out buying diapers, an incident that has had a profound impact on their family. Prior to his detention, Soto Hernandez had been arrested for a domestic violence incident, but the charges were later dismissed and expunged, as confirmed by his lawyers. Despite his poor health, Soto Hernandez has been actively involved in organizing a hunger strike, which ultimately led to his transfer to a different detention camp in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on May 25. His lawyer has expressed concern about his condition, stating that he has lost a significant amount of weight, approximately 110 pounds, and is now "skin and bones."
Following her husband's detention, Gabriela Soto created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his legal defense, where she shared her family's story and appealed for support. On the page, she wrote, "My husband Martin Soto got illegally detained by ICE tonight," and explained that they had not fully addressed his immigration status due to his court date being scheduled for 2028. Soto emphasized the importance of having a lawyer to defend her husband, stating, "I want to be able to have a lawyer defend him so that he can stay here. His kids depend on him. His daughter knows he is her world." She also expressed her frustration and disappointment with the current situation, saying, "This is unfair what Trump is doing to this country. He's ripping families apart and this is not fair. Please help us."
Gloria Guerrero of New Labor also spoke out about the plight of those being detained, saying, "At this very moment, Delaney represents a dark and desolate world for those who sought to attain the American Dream." Guerrero, who works with domestic workers whose husbands have been detained in ICE prisons, emphasized the devastating impact of the detention system on families. She stated, "Children wait for the return of parents detained by a cruel and inhumane system—locked in dungeons, treated like criminals, and stripped of every right, including the right to humane treatment." Guerrero also highlighted the economic aspect of the detention system, saying, "Yet for others, it is the greatest business venture in history—one that utterly disregards the dignity of human beings." She described Delaney as a "Latino concentration camp" where people are forced to work under exploitative conditions, and expressed her support for those who are resisting and protesting their detention.
The Real News Network is committed to producing fearless, fact-based reporting on the stories that matter, including those that corporate media often ignores or minimizes. As an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization, TRNN relies on viewers like you to sustain its reporting. With no paywalls, advertisers, or billionaire owners, TRNN is dedicated to providing the truth, without any external influence or agendas. Every dollar donated to TRNN goes directly toward supporting its reporting, and all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, allowing for free republishing online or in print.
The original article can be accessed at its initial publication location, courtesy of The Real News Network, dated May 29, 2026, by Luis Feliz Leon, who serves as a staff writer and organizer for Labor Notes, and can be followed on Twitter at @Lfelizleon.
It has been over a week since May 22, when approximately 300 of these workers embarked on a courageous work stoppage and hunger strike, seeking to bring attention to their plight and demand improvements in their living conditions. Through a video chat, one of the workers addressed the crowd that had gathered outside, explaining that they had ceased eating and working in protest of the meager wages they received, which were as little as $1 an hour, or in some cases, no pay at all. The worker emphasized that their demands extended far beyond better working conditions, stating, "But that's not all we demand, we are also doing this to demand freedom, because we are not treated like people, we are treated like animals."
The hunger strikers have presented a list of demands, which includes a meeting with the governor, the release of young and elderly detainees, as well as all medically vulnerable individuals, and ultimately, freedom for all those being held. For months, a dedicated group of activists from the ICE Out of NJ coalition, which comprises the immigrant rights group Cosecha, the Catholic advocacy group Pax Christi, and the worker center New Labor, has been staging protests outside Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed privately owned detention center where immigrants, predominantly from Latino backgrounds, are being detained without due process. Families and lawyers of the detainees have reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, as well as guards employed by the GEO Group, the private-prison contractor, have been denying them essential medical care, serving them food that is infested with worms, and refusing them access to bail bonds or their lawyers.
Many of the detainees were taken into custody while working at construction job sites or while still wearing their service-industry work clothes, while others were apprehended at courthouses where they had gone to attend green-card appointments. As one worker, identified as Brian, wrote in a heartfelt, handwritten letter in early May, co-signed by 300 others with their names redacted, "In our cases, we had already been processed, we were complying with legal requirements, and there was no order from a judge for our detention or arrest." The letter, which pleaded for help from elected officials, further emphasized that "ICE officers did not take into account the fact that there was already an immigration court date, and they arrested us during check-in appointments at USCIS facilities."
The workers decided to go on strike in an effort to directly impact the bottom line of their jailers, but unfortunately, they were already struggling with hunger, and their health has continued to deteriorate as a result of the strike. As Luis, a released hunger striker, shared with Radio Jornalera, "People aren't eating because of the strike we are organizing and there's no medical assistance." Speaking with his back to the camera, in an effort to conceal his identity and avoid potential retaliation from ICE, Luis revealed that another detainee had become severely dehydrated and was unable to walk, highlighting the dire conditions and scarcity of food, which was already a concern even before the strike began.
When hunger strikers required medical assistance at the nursing center within the prison, they were met with resistance, as Luis explained, "they wouldn't lend us the wheelchair." As a result, the strikers had to take matters into their own hands, administering their own medication and providing themselves with liquids containing sugar and a small amount of salt to compensate for the loss of electrolytes. According to Luis, the detention process has been marred by a lack of due process, as he was detained by ICE during a routine check-in, a situation that typically does not occur for individuals with ongoing legal cases in the immigration system. Furthermore, people without criminal records have been subjected to exorbitant bail fees, sometimes exceeding $50,000, or have been denied release on bond altogether. Luis revealed to the Guardian, "If they freed us, we wouldn't generate profit for this business." On a national scale, the majority of imprisoned immigrants, at least through 2025, have had no prior criminal records. As reported by the American Prospect, the GEO Group has been reaping record profits from a federal contract valued at $1 billion, with some of these profits derived from the labor of imprisoned immigrants who work for little or no pay. Workers have alleged that they are coerced into participating in the government's supposedly Voluntary Work Program through the use of solitary confinement and other forms of torture. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery, but with a notable exception: "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." Regardless of conviction status, all labor holds value, but what is particularly egregious is that immigrants in ICE jails have not been convicted and are being denied due process. In what is being described by activists as retaliation, on May 28, GEO guards and ICE agents responded to the hunger strike and work stoppage with violent beatings. Detainees have reported to their lawyers and families that striking units have had the building's ventilation cut off, while the floors in some cells are smeared with the blood of detainees. Nedia Morsy, director of the nonprofit Make the Road NJ, stated, "Right now, there are ICE agents inside Delaney Hall violently beating the hunger strikers. Someone will be killed if no one intervenes and shuts this down."
Gabriela Fuentes recounted how her husband, Jose Marroquin, called her around 1:30 p.m. to inform her that they were being beaten and pepper-sprayed, an incident that began when ICE agents attempted to take away the only person who translates for them in the unit. Fuentes explained that her husband told her, "They wanted to take him away," which led to the other prisoners protesting and asking that he not be taken. As a result, ICE agents arrived at the unit and attempted to cuff him, sparking a confrontation. According to Fuentes, the detainees raised their hands to indicate that they did not want to engage in a physical altercation, but the guards nonetheless took them to their cells. Fuentes continued, "And then there were the prisoners banging on the doors, pleading to be let out."
The wife of a detainee has come forward with disturbing allegations, stating that her husband informed her that there was blood on the floor and walls of the facility, which the agents were attempting to clean up, clearly indicating that they were aware of their own wrongdoing.
In a public statement, Fuentes explained that she immediately rushed to the prison to express her concerns about the situation unfolding inside, and upon her arrival, she witnessed one of the detainees being taken away by an ambulance due to a guard having broken his nose.
According to officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, agents responded to a physical altercation involving detainees at Delaney Hall, which led to the current situation. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Markwyane Mullin has taken a more aggressive stance, threatening to retaliate against sanctuary cities by withdrawing Customs and Border Protection officers from airports. It is worth noting that even before the current strike, speaking out about the conditions inside the prison was often met with retaliation, making it challenging for detainees and their families to voice their concerns.
As Jordi Alvarado mentioned in an interview with local news outlet NJ.com in early May, the detainees have to be extremely cautious about what they say and do, as they are constantly being monitored. In a striking incident, Alvarado's face suddenly disappeared from the screen of the iPhone that advocates were using to call him, and a message popped up indicating that the call had been paused, followed by another message stating that the call had ended.
Local and federal elected officials have released statements strongly condemning the deplorable living conditions and treatment of detainees at the facility. New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat, took a bold step by visiting the prison on May 25, and after witnessing the situation firsthand, he joined the protesters outside, where he was subsequently pepper-sprayed. However, the ICE Out of NJ coalition is demanding more concrete action from the authorities, emphasizing that elected officials, the Governor, and the Attorney General can no longer afford to ignore the situation unfolding behind the walls of the detention center.
As Jorge Torres of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network stated, the authorities must take immediate action, enter the facility, and speak directly with the detainees to hold GEO Group and ICE accountable for the violence and mistreatment. The detained immigrant workers have written multiple letters to legislators, pleading for their release, but unfortunately, they have not received any response.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill expressed her concerns about the facility, stating that she never believed Delaney Hall should have been opened in the first place, citing the state's law against privately run detention facilities. The fact that she was denied access to the facility raises serious concerns, and as she pointed out, it suggests that there may be some truth to the allegations of mistreatment and misconduct.
The blatant impunity and lack of accountability are evident both inside and outside the immigration detention center. On the night of May 27, federal agents used excessive force against protesters, striking them with batons and pushing one protester into the path of a tractor-trailer wheel, as shown in a disturbing video. On Thursday, after reports of assaults on detainees began to circulate, some local elected officials were finally allowed to enter the prison, although their access was still limited. On the same day, the New Jersey Department of Health was denied full access to the facility for an inspection, which further raises concerns about the conditions inside. The reports of mistreatment and abuse often come from the families of the detained, who are desperate for answers and action from the authorities.
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman revealed that she has been receiving disturbing reports from constituents who have family members being held inside detention facilities, including a mother who is allegedly being beaten by ICE agents and an 11-year-old girl who spoke to her father inside and reported that many people are being left bloodied. According to NJ.com, on the afternoon of May 28, Coleman shared these alarming accounts, highlighting the dire situation faced by those being detained.
Gabriela Soto's husband, Martin Soto Hernandez, was detained by ICE in January while he was out buying diapers, an incident that has had a profound impact on their family. Prior to his detention, Soto Hernandez had been arrested for a domestic violence incident, but the charges were later dismissed and expunged, as confirmed by his lawyers. Despite his poor health, Soto Hernandez has been actively involved in organizing a hunger strike, which ultimately led to his transfer to a different detention camp in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on May 25. His lawyer has expressed concern about his condition, stating that he has lost a significant amount of weight, approximately 110 pounds, and is now "skin and bones."
Following her husband's detention, Gabriela Soto created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his legal defense, where she shared her family's story and appealed for support. On the page, she wrote, "My husband Martin Soto got illegally detained by ICE tonight," and explained that they had not fully addressed his immigration status due to his court date being scheduled for 2028. Soto emphasized the importance of having a lawyer to defend her husband, stating, "I want to be able to have a lawyer defend him so that he can stay here. His kids depend on him. His daughter knows he is her world." She also expressed her frustration and disappointment with the current situation, saying, "This is unfair what Trump is doing to this country. He's ripping families apart and this is not fair. Please help us."
Gloria Guerrero of New Labor also spoke out about the plight of those being detained, saying, "At this very moment, Delaney represents a dark and desolate world for those who sought to attain the American Dream." Guerrero, who works with domestic workers whose husbands have been detained in ICE prisons, emphasized the devastating impact of the detention system on families. She stated, "Children wait for the return of parents detained by a cruel and inhumane system—locked in dungeons, treated like criminals, and stripped of every right, including the right to humane treatment." Guerrero also highlighted the economic aspect of the detention system, saying, "Yet for others, it is the greatest business venture in history—one that utterly disregards the dignity of human beings." She described Delaney as a "Latino concentration camp" where people are forced to work under exploitative conditions, and expressed her support for those who are resisting and protesting their detention.
The Real News Network is committed to producing fearless, fact-based reporting on the stories that matter, including those that corporate media often ignores or minimizes. As an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization, TRNN relies on viewers like you to sustain its reporting. With no paywalls, advertisers, or billionaire owners, TRNN is dedicated to providing the truth, without any external influence or agendas. Every dollar donated to TRNN goes directly toward supporting its reporting, and all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, allowing for free republishing online or in print.
The original article can be accessed at its initial publication location, courtesy of The Real News Network, dated May 29, 2026, by Luis Feliz Leon, who serves as a staff writer and organizer for Labor Notes, and can be followed on Twitter at @Lfelizleon.
Tags:
news