New Jersey sues ICE facility operator over denied inspections

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport filed a lawsuit against The GEO Group, the operator of the Delaney Hall immigration detention center, after state health officials were denied full access to inspect the facility. The lawsuit alleges unsanitary and unsafe conditions, including overcrowding, inadequate medical care, and unsanitary food and bathroom conditions. Meanwhile, protests outside the facility have intensified, with demonstrators clashing with police over a curfew imposed by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. The curfew, which was later lifted, led to 61 arrests on the first night. The GEO Group has denied the allegations, with a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson calling the lawsuit "frivolous." A recent inspection by the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility found the facility in compliance with 17 of 22 standards, though some deficiencies remain. The Trump administration has denied reports of a hunger strike or substandard conditions at the facility. The legal and political battles over Delaney Hall continue as state officials push to shut down the facility, while federal authorities insist it will remain open.