ICE ships hundreds of migrants out of Newark detention center where four detainees escaped
Hundreds of dangerous illegal migrant criminals have been shipped out of a New Jersey detention center, leaving the controversial ICE facility at just 20% capacity — after four violent detainees escaped last week during an 'uprising.'
The 1,000-bed Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark — the largest of its type on the East Coast — is now holding only roughly 200 migrants, a Homeland Security official told The Post.
The facility has been a lightning rod of controversy, with Newark Mayor and New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Ras Baraka arrested by the feds during a protest at the center last month and four detainees escaping last week during a revolt.
3 Delaney Hall Detention Facility is the largest such facility on the East Coast.
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post
It is unclear exactly how many illegal migrants have been moved out, but sources said they are all hardened criminals, including killers and rapists.
The detainees have been taken to other detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania.
Insiders have largely blamed the private contractor running Delaney Hall — which only reopened in May — for the prison break.
GEO Group needs to properly 'ensure security and staffing' and put in place 'proper procedures' before it can 'repopulate' the massive center, a source said.
'But for now, it's going to be brought down to lower-level detainees until they get to the bottom of what exactly happened and hold them accountable for where they failed,' the insider said.
ICE awarded GEO Group a 15-year, $1 billion contract to operate the detention center in February.
The detention center had 'a large amount' of violent illegal migrant criminals because 'Newark is a cesspool of crime' and a sanctuary city, the source groused.
The four illegal migrants who fled the facility were behind bars for assault and burglary charges — and one of the escapees is still on the loose, sources said.
3 Protesters have recently demonstrated outside Delaney Hall Detention Facility.
Aristide Economopoulos
Sources also blamed Baraka, who staged a protest with several Garden State Democratic members of Congress outside Delaney Hall when it opened in May, claiming it did not have the required permits to operate.
'That just speaks to the mayor and his sanctuary policies, and he would rather have criminals out on the streets … You've got him leading protests where they're distracting from the security,' a source said.
'That compromises the security of the facility when you have attention out front from violent, rowdy protesters who are banging on our security gates,' the source added.
Protests have continued at the facility, including one on the day of the prison break.
GEO Group didn't immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
3 DHS asserts there was no 'widespread unrest' during the prison break.
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post
The four detainees escaped Friday during an 'uprising' within the facility and somehow broke through a 'drywall with a mesh interior' in a unit that connected to an exterior wall and into the parking lot, US Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) said at a news conference.
However, DHS contradicted the claim, stating that there had been no 'widespread unrest' on the day the group escaped.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
As Musk's 'robotaxi' rollout approaches, Democratic lawmakers in Texas try to throw up a roadblock
NEW YORK -- A group of Democratic lawmakers in Texas is asking Elon Musk to delay the planned rollout of driverless 'robotaxis' in the state this weekend to assure that the vehicles are safe. In a letter, seven state legislators asked Tesla to wait until September when a new law takes effect that will require several checks before autonomous vehicles can be deployed without a human in the driver's seat. Tesla is slated to begin testing a dozen of what it calls robotaxis for paying customers on Sunday in a limited area of Austin, Texas. 'We are formally requesting that Tesla delay autonomous robotaxi operations until the new law takes effect on September 1, 2025,' the letter from Wednesday, June 18, reads. 'We believe this is in the best interest of both public safety and building public trust in Tesla's operations.' It's not clear if the letter will have much impact. Republicans have been a dominant majority in the Texas Legislature for more than 20 years. State lawmakers and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott have generally embraced Musk and the jobs and investment he has brought to Texas, from his SpaceX rocket program on the coast, to his Tesla factory in Austin. The company, which is headquartered in Austin, did not responded immediately to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The law will require companies to secure approval from the state motor vehicles department to operate autonomous cars with passengers. That approval, in turn, would depend on sufficient proof that the cars won't pose a high risk to others if the self-driving system breaks down, among other reassurances. Companies would also have to file detailed plans for how first responders should handle the cars if there is a problem, such as an accident. The letter asked Tesla to assure the legislators it has met all the requirements of the law even if it decides to go ahead with the test run this weekend. The letter was earlier reported by Reuters. Musk has made the robotaxi program a priority at Tesla and a failure would likely be highly damaging to the company's stock, which has already tumbled 20% this year. Musk's political views and his affiliation with the Trump administration have drastically reduced sales of Tesla, particularly in Europe, where Musk's endorsement of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party in February's election drew broad condemnation. Tesla shares bottomed out in March and have rebounded somewhat in recent months. Much of the rise reflects optimism that robotaxis will not only be deployed without a hitch, but that the service will quickly expand to other cities and eventually dominate the self-driving cab business. Rival Waymo is already picking up passengers in Austin and several other cities, and recently boasted of surpassing 10 million paid rides. In afternoon trading Friday, Tesla shares were largely unchanged at $320.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
L.A. Dodgers commit $1 million toward families of immigrants 'impacted by recent events'
One day after Department of Homeland Security officers infringed upon their home amid nearly two weeks of heightened tension in Los Angeles, the Dodgers on Friday announced a $1 million "commitment" toward financial assistance for families of immigrants "impacted by recent events in the region." Los Angeles has been roiled by aggressive raids from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which have honed in on workplaces frequented by immigrants. Marines and the National Guard have been dispatched to Los Angeles in the wake of protests that have seen heavy use of tear gas and projectile weapons by law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have been heavily criticized for both action and inaction from their heavily Latino fan base. Manager Dave Roberts stated he didn't have enough information to opine on the situation, and the club came under more scrutiny after R&B singer Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, and posted videos and correspondence showing it was against the Dodgers' wishes. Veteran utilityman Kiké Hernández posted a message of support on Instagram, and in the days following the club indicated it would soon show support for the area's immigrant population. Then came Thursday's caravan of DHS vans and vehicles to the Dodger Stadium gate, where they apparently hoped to use the grounds for staging. Protestors arrived and DHS officials were eventually escorted out a separate exit by the Los Angeles Police Department. But many remained and turned their grievances toward the Dodgers for staying largely neutral at a time the community was reeling. The Dodgers' statement nodded non-specifically toward events in the area while not referencing ICE, DHS or other outside forces. "What's happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,' said Dodgers president Stan Kasten, whose club generated an estimated $752 million in revenue last season and is valued at nearly $7 billion. 'We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.' Mayor Karen Bass indicated the external infringement on the community has had an impact. 'These last weeks have sent shockwaves of fear rippling through every neighborhood and have had a direct impact on our economy," Bass said.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Suspected killer of Minnesota lawmaker is a doomsday 'prepper' with 'bailout' plan
Recently unsealed court filings reveal how Vance Boelter was preparing himself and his family for a catastrophic event. Police found his wife with two guns and around $10,000 in cash. The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband in a brazen attack while dressed as a police officer is a doomsday "prepper" who set aside passports, guns and hordes of cash in the event of a catastrophe, newly unsealed federal court documents show. Vance Boelter's wife relayed the doomsday plans after she was interviewed by police during a manhunt for Boelter after he allegedly shot four people on June 14, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota. "During an interview, Boelter's wife identified that she had recently received a group text message from Boelter in a group text thread with their kids," FBI Special Agent Terry Getsch wrote. "The text stated something to the effect of they should prepare for war, they needed to get out of the house and people with guns may be showing up to the house." Law enforcement stopped Boelter's wife while she was traveling with her four children to visit friends northwest of the metro area, the federal complaint said. In the car, officers found a safe, all of the children's passports as well as Boelter's, about $10,000 in cash, a revolver pistol in the glove box and another semi-automatic pistol in a cooler, the FBI says in the complaint. Boelter, 57, is accused of killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and seriously wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. The new information about Boelter and his family comes nearly a week after the attack that investigators say Boelter "extensively researched" and planned. He compiled a list of mostly Democratic state lawmakers and their addresses; he fitted his SUV with lights and a fake license plate to resemble a police squad car; and he purchased a silicone mask and a cache of weapons, according to a 20-page affidavit filed in federal court. Details about what Boelter's wife was carrying come after federal investigators revealed that Boelter sent multiple texts to her and the children hours after the shootings. In a group chat, he sent the following message at 6:18 a.m.: 'Dad went to war last night … I dont wanna say more because I dont wanna implicate anybody.' Around the same time, his wife received a separate message from Boelter. 'Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation … there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around.' Boelter was arrested late June 15 following the largest manhunt in Minnesota state history, authorities said. Federal prosecutors charged him with several counts of murder and stalking. Minnesota authorities say they believe Boelter impersonated law enforcement to gain access to the victims' homes, exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside Minneapolis. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called Hortman's killing a "politically motivated assassination." What else to know about Boelter? At various times, Boelter has claimed to work in the food service industry. In other moments, he's claimed he runs large firms involved with 'security situations' overseas, including Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The recently unsealed court filings said Boelter worked at Red Lion, a 'security company and fishing outfit in Congo, Africa.' On LinkedIn, Boelter called himself CEO of Red Lion, according to reporting by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, though the Red Lion website linked to his LinkedIn profile was down and Boelter said he was open to work. He also appeared as a speaker for a Minnesota nonprofit serving African immigrant communities. Minnesota Africans United, a Brooklyn Park nonprofit, said in a statement that Boelter participated in an August 2022 virtual webinar about trade and investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Boelter's participation as a speaker was facilitated by a third party, the statement said. He was never hired, paid or contracted by the nonprofit, which had no contact with him since the one-time appearance. A biography for the session described Boelter as having worked in Congo and for a security guard company. USA TODAY previously reported that a LinkedIn page believed to belong to Boelter showed he attended St. Cloud State University. University spokesperson Zach Dwyer confirmed Boelter graduated in 1996. Childhood friend called police on Boelter David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him the night of June 13. At about 6 a.m. on June 14, he received a text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked for an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was close to his job. Carlson said he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims, adding: "His family has got to suffer through this." Federal authorities said the Boelter family home was in Green Isle, Minnesota, about one mile from where he was ultimately captured. The Minnesota city of around 600 people is about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities. Green Isle is a small community, Mayor Shane Sheets told USA TODAY. Boelter had no known political involvement or affiliation in the city, he said
