Build Communities, Not Cages
Since inauguration day, New Jersey has increasingly become the epicenter of Trump’s mass detention and deportation agenda. New Jersey was one of the first states to experience a mass workplace raid, and we are now home to Trump's first new ICE jail. Our communities are under attack. New Jersey once again made headlines in May when the Mayor of Newark, our state's largest city, was unlawfully arrested and several leading members of congress were shoved and strong armed during an official visit to Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center. The time is now for you to take action.
Tell Congress: We Need All Eyes On ICE
Rep. McIver stood with our communities.
It's time we stand with her.
New Jersey Representative LaMonica McIver was doing her job: fighting for her constituents. Now, she's being retaliated against.
We need ALL members of Congress to stand in solidarity with Rep. McIver by exercising their oversight authority and conducting unannounced visits to their nearest immigrant detention facilities.
Stand up to the Trump Administration.
Stand with Rep. McIver and the New Jersey Four.
We need all #EyesOnICE now!
Immigrant detention in New Jersey: a timeline
The fight against immigrant detention in New Jersey has lasted decades! Learn what's happened recently and how you can get involved.
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August 2021: NJ Bans Public & Private ICE Detention Contracts
New Jersey signed into a statewide law a ban on the renewal or extension of publicly and privately run ICE contracts. Later that year, all 3 of the publicly county run jails closed out their contracts, with only one facility still operating: Elizabeth Detention Center, run by CoreCivic.
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February 2023: CoreCivic Challenges NJ's ICE ban
CoreCivic filed a legal challenge to the 2021 ICE detention ban, and in June 2023, a federal judge ruled in partial favor and struck down the private provisions of the state law, allowing CoreCivic to renew their contract and continue operations. (This case is now on appeal and will be heard May 1st in Philadelphia).
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April 2024: GEO Group Joins Legal Fight
GEO Group filed a complaint seeking injunction for NJ AB5207 banning immigration detention. The New Jersey Office of Attorney General filed a letter indicating that the state was willing to enter into a temporary consent order granting GEO the same preliminary injunctive relief that CoreCivic currently had while the CoreCivic case is pending in the Third Circuit. Judge Kirsch issued the order shortly thereafter.
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June 2024: Biden seeks ICE Expansion
ICE issued an RFI for “Contract Detention Facility Solicitation No. 70CDCR24R00000012 – ERO Newark, New Jersey Area of Responsibility.”
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December 2024: Big Companies Cash In Over ICE Bid
Following ACLU FOIA litigation and in SEC filings, it was found that GEO had "responded to a procurement” of a 15-year contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be awarded in Newark. It was also revealed that CoreCivic had responded and named an expansion at the existing Elizabeth Detention Center and possible conversion of the Bo Robinson Center in Trenton.
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February 27th, 2025: ICE and GEO strike deal for Delaney Hall
ICE released a public statement announcing the “imminent” opening of Delaney Hall in Newark, NJ -- the first new ICE facility under the second Trump Administration. This information was also shared same day in a GEO Group quarterly earnings call where the contract was said to last 15 years at an estimated value of $1 bn.
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March 11th, 2025: CoreCivic Appeal gets Scheduled
A federal appeals court announced that the CoreCivic v. Murphy case will be heard in April or May in the Third Circuit of the Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. The date is later confirmed to be May 1st.
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March 27th, 2025: Union County Launches Greed-Fueled Auction Bid
Following months of rumors, Union County Commissioners voted on an ordinance that would allow them to open the Union County Jail (which has been empty for four years) to public auction. Commissioners estimated renovations may cost upwards of $15 million for the 10 story building that currently has capacity for 1,000 beds. Likely bidders and buyers will be private prison corporations.
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April 1st, 2025: City of Newark sues: "Hands Off Delaney Hall"
City of Newark sued to gain access to Delaney Hall/issue a stop work order, claiming GEO Group had not gone through the City's required certification/permitting process.
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April 2025: GEO Ramps Up Defense
In early April, GEO Group requested the case brought by Newark gets moved to federal court (docket here). Later in the month, GEO will attempt to get the entire case dismissed, claiming that City of Newark should have brought their complaint against ICE, who is the one doing business through GEO and thus should be the entity subject to permits and inspections.
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COMING UP: May 1st, 2025
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the CoreCivic case in Philadelphia at 9:30 a.m. Across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, over 40 organizations are mobilizing in Philadelphia to PACK THE COURT against immigrant detention and ICE profiteers.
To register for busses leaving from New Jersey, click here.
Mass Movement Calls
In 2024, NJAIJ launched our New Arrivals Network to welcome immigrants and asylum seekers who were being bussed up to Sanctuary States from the Southern Border. That initial Know Your Rights effort brought together direct service providers, advocates, attorneys, and activists to welcome the newest arrivals in the state.
As the 2024 election approached, this initiative has now grown to include quarterly Mass Movement Calls with the latest intel and updates on immigration policy, detention, and deportation updates in the state.
Click here for the slide deck from our most recent Mass Movement Call and how to get involved.