Kim Amendments Demand Justice at Delaney Hall, Republicans Instead Hand Billions More to ICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Senate Republicans worked to hand billions more to Trump’s ICE, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) pushed solutions to ensure accountability and justice at Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey and around the country. During a marathon voting session, the Senator filed amendments to end inhumane treatment in the facility, improve medical care at all ICE detention facilities, and require de-escalation training for ICE officials, and more. On the Senate Floor, Senator Kim spoke about one of the many detainees he met who is suffering without proper medical care. Senator Kim shared: “Only after he and other detainees protested and got the nation’s attention was he able to get released this week from Delaney…There are many of these type of stories at Delaney Hall. This amendment would have an audit of conditions at Delaney and require the for-profit company GEO Group, who is getting nearly a $1 billion contract for that facility to fix the problems or risk not getting any taxpayer dollars.” Watch Senator Kim’s Full Remarks Specifically, Senator Kim’s amendments would: Ensure the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Office of Inspector General conduct audits of the conditions at Delaney Hall and require GEO Group, the private company that runs Delaney Hall, to address concerns or risk not getting a single additional taxpayer dollar. Demand that ICE and CBP provide proper and prompt medical care to the detainees in their custody. Require annual de-escalation training hours for interactions with civilians, detainees, and protestors, and provides funding to audit whether that training is being appropriately implemented in the field. Prohibit DHS from using funds anymore tax dollars to purchase a warehouse or to repurpose, operate, staff, or maintain already purchased warehouses like the one ICE has threatened to build in Roxbury, New Jersey. Investigate the lawless actions of DHS agents who have arrested, killed, detained, or deported U.S. citizens. Last week, Senator Kim led members of the New Jersey Democratic Congressional delegation in sending a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche outlining a series of demands for immediate action and accountability, and to end ICE brutality and inhumane detention at Delaney Hall. The letter built on months of work by Senator Kim to close Delaney Hall and end inhumane detention across the country, including his oversight visits this past week and previous inspections and direct conversations with those detained. During committee mark-up, Senator also filed a series of reforms to rein in the Trump administration’s lawless ICE, including specifically to end inhumane detention at Delaney Hall, and introduced a package of legislation to end warehouse detention nationwide and prevent taxpayer dollars from funding ICE’s lawlessness. ###