MAYOR RAS J. BARAKA STATEMENT ON DELANEY HALL BREAKOUT

“The latest reports from Delaney Hall indicate that four detainees did indeed escape and that their egress was accomplished by kicking through an interior wall.

“As stated in our ongoing legal complaint, the City of Newark has never received permit applications from GEO Group to construct an interior wall. Had it applied for a Certificate of Occupancy and/or construction permits, the city would have inspected the integrity of that wall. This chaotic outcome is precisely why the City has ordinances requiring all facilities, including this ICE facility, to apply for the proper permits – and why we have taken the GEO Group to court to ensure the safety of both detainees and their own employees.

“This incident is yet another outrageous validation of the negative consequences of a federal government that believes it is above the prudence and practicality of working within legal parameters, and encourages reckless operations of its collaborators.”