FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

December 22, 2025

Analilia Mejia Visits Delaney Hall Following Death in ICE Custody, Calls for Immediate Closure and Abolition of ICE

Mejia joined advocates and faith leaders today for a prayer vigil outside of Delaney Hall

NEWARK, NJ — Following the death of a detainee in ICE custody at the Delaney Hall detention center, New Jersey congressional candidate Analilia Mejia visited the facility today to demand accountability and reiterate her call to abolish ICE and permanently close Delaney Hall before more lives are lost.

Mejia joined immigrant advocates, community leaders, family members of detainees, faith leaders, and pastors for a prayer vigil outside of Delaney Hall to draw attention to conditions inside and out of the facility. Mejia condemned ICE as a dangerous and unaccountable agency that lacks transparency and has repeatedly failed to follow basic safety and human rights guidelines.

The visit comes amid reports that detainees at Delaney Hall were recently served raw food and denied necessary medical care — conditions that civil rights advocates say reflect a broader pattern of neglect and abuse within the facility.

Mejia previously visited Delaney Hall in May, on the day Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested, alongside members of Congress and community leaders protesting conditions at the detention center.

Community leaders and immigrant advocates have called for an independent investigation into the death and renewed demands for the immediate closure of Delaney Hall.