Several arrests made during interfaith rally outside Delaney Hall detention center

Clergy from New Jersey and neighboring states stood in front of the detention facility, arms locked in solidarity.

Naomi Yané

May 12, 2025, 9:40 PM

Updated 19 hr ago

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There were some contentious moments between clergy and police at Monday’s interfaith rally outside the Delaney Hall ICE Detention Center. It comes on the heels of the chaos outside the facility on Friday that ended with Newark’s mayor being arrested.
Several arrests were made as clergy from New Jersey and neighboring states stood in front of the detention facility, arms locked, as employees with GEO Group, the company that runs the facility, attempted to leave the property.
Clergy and others in support of the detention center being shut down gathered in prayer, and also to demand that the Department of Homeland Security release the names of the people being held inside Delaney Hall.
“Our congressional members have the legal right to do congressional oversight, and they have been denied that opportunity,” said Crystal Walthall, executive director of Faith in NY. “The city of Newark also has its own jurisdiction to do oversight. We need to understand the condition of the facility.”
Rabbi Mike Moskowitz, from Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, also wants transparency."The lack of transparency is always scary. Part of what we rely on in terms of a democracy is being able to access who’s profiting and at whose expense," Moskowitz said.
On Friday, members of Congress came to tour the detention center, but that visit ended with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka being arrested for trespassing.