Migrants Caught After New Jersey Detention Center Escape
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Two of the four migrants who escaped from the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark have been apprehended by federal authorities.
Authorities have confirmed the capture of Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada.
Searches are ongoing for Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Andres Pineda-Mogollon.
Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment (DHS)
Authorities have confirmed the capture of Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez (R) and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada (L)
Authorities have confirmed the capture of Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez (R) and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada (L)
DHS
Why It Matters
ICE agents have been thrust into the forefront of the national conversation surrounding immigration enforcement. The agency has been facing increased scrutiny under President Donald Trump as his administration looks to remove millions of migrants without legal status from the United States as part of a hard-line mass deportation policy.
What To Know
On June 12, four individuals escaped and entered Delaney Hall following reports of disturbances related to the food quality and conditions inside the facility.
The 1,000-bed facility is operated by GEO Group, a private company. GEO Group was awarded a 15-year, $1 billion contract in February by the previous administration to convert the building into a detention center. The company has faced public criticism regarding the facility's construction quality and management.
DHS and the GEO Group have rejected concerns over the detention center.
"Contrary to current reporting, there has been no widespread unrest at the Facility," a spokesperson for the GEO Group told Newsweek.
On Friday, Democratic Senator Andy Kim and Congressman Rob Menendez of New Jersey toured the facility. Following the visit, Senator Kim stated at a news conference that the individuals who escaped had punched a hole through an exterior wall, which he described as "essentially just drywall with some mesh inside."
"It shows just how shoddy construction was," Kim added.
What People Are Saying
A GEO Group Spokesperson told Newsweek: "We are working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement to apprehend these individuals and fully investigate this incident. The safety and security of the Delaney Hall Facility and our neighbors in the local community is our top priority."
A Senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official previously told Newsweek. "DHS has become aware of 4 detainees at the privately held Delaney Hall Detention Facility escaping. Additional law enforcement partners have been brought in to find these escapees and a BOLO has been disseminated."
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement: "We are concerned about reports of what has transpired at Delaney Hall this evening, ranging from withholding food and poor treatment, to uprising and escaped detainees. This entire situation lacks sufficient oversight of every basic detail—including local zoning laws and fundamental constitutional rights."
What Happens Next
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the men.
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