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"They Are Not Alone Inside": Protests Outside New Jersey ICE Jail Support Hunger Striking Detainees

2026-05-27 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt Around 300 immigrants detained at the Delaney Hall ICE jail in Newark, New Jersey, have been on a hunger and work strike since Friday to protest inhumane conditions and due process violations. Delaney Hall is operated by the private prison company GEO Group. Since the hunger strike was launched, immigration advocates have been staging a solidarity protest outside Delaney Hall to promote the detainees' demands for freedom. Protesters and ICE agents have clashed outside the jail, and three people have been arrested. Tensions escalated on Sunday when ICE removed a hunger strike organizer, Martín Soto, prompting protesters outside the ICE jail to block a van being used to transport him. Masked ICE agents responded by firing tear gas and pushing people to the ground. Soto was ultimately transferred to an ICE jail in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and is now facing criminal charges for allegedly assaulting an ICE officer. We speak to Gabriela Soto, Martín Soto's wife, and Li Adorno, an organizer with the group Movimiento Cosecha. Both have helped lead the protest outside Delaney Hall. Gabriela Soto says that she started the protest in conjunction with the detainees' strike so that the media could see how ICE is "destroying families and separating them." Soto says that when she was blocked from seeing her husband during visiting hours on Saturday, a guard asked her why she was "spreading lies" and talking to the press. "He said, 'Why are you telling people that we're feeding them worms? Why are you telling people that we don't give them medical care?' I said, 'Because it's true.'" Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@ly8577 2026-05-27

This detention center was worth$60 million but was purchased for $120 million?! Wth?

42 6 replies
@HelluvaRide-u2z 2026-05-27

The are getting richer unloading warehouses that have sat vacant, and turning a staggering profit.

35 5 replies
@sandal_thong 2026-05-27

The suffragette protestors were put in a jail to teach them a lesson for protesting outside the White House. After being offered rotten food, they went on hunger strike and were force-fed hot, scalding liquids. This was shown in the movie, _Iron Jawed Angels._ Of course, media ignoring jail conditions (then and now) just invites abuse.

33 10 replies
@wetrucken1689 2026-05-27

Get privete companies out of public money!!! Enough thievery!! Enough is enough!!!

97 22 replies
@willowtdog6449 2026-05-27

Gabriela Sota is unbelievably brave. Her husband is lucky to have her fighting for him. This is so heinous. Remember, she’s visibly pregnant too. Heartbreaking.

52 1 replies
@LiveLoveLaugh5685 2026-05-29

Economy failed, Tariff war failed, reduce gas/groceries failed, end all wars failed, better job numbers failed, reduce inflation failed, consumer spending failed, clean up deep state failed, Immigration worst of the worst failed, USA debt reduction failed, released Epste1n files failed, will not touch Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid failed failed failed……………

2
@ericbray4286 2026-05-27

GEO group is just for profit human trafficking.

76 27 replies
@The99thOption 2026-05-27

All strength and solidarity to Gabriella. I can't even begin to imagine what it's taking her ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

40
@ZackaryYoung-i5g 2026-05-30

I support hunger striking detainees in Newark. They are so tired of living at this detention center, they refuse to eat. We must help them.

0
@osimonich2386 2026-05-28

Will they forcefeed them w the same spoiled food they're already giving them? These private operators of prisons are making millions at little cost to provide substandard care.

1

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