Sherrill denied access to controversial ICE detention center as calls for its closure grow

Source: NJ.com

Updated: May. 25, 2026, 2:29 p.m.|Published: May. 25, 2026, 12:32 p.m.


Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Monday was denied entry to Delaney Hall, the immigrant detention center in Newark, as detainees entered their fourth day of a hunger strike. Sherrill’s visit comes a day after she joined several fellow Democrats in demanding that the facility be shut down over concerns about inhumane conditions, including poor-quality food and subpar medical care.

Sherrill, who has repeatedly challenged President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, said federal agents denied her entry. “They don’t want oversight or accountability,” Sherrill said. “There should be no reason that they wouldn’t have people in the prison to show that it is being run well.”

In a statement issued after the governor departed, Sherrill commended several Democrats for their outreach efforts for detainees and their families. “I came today to hear from families and advocates, and what I heard from them was heartbreaking,” Sherrill said.

Sherrill said she is the first sitting governor to visit the facility.

Read more: https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/05/sherrill-denied-access-to-controversial-ice-detention-center-as-calls-for-its-closure-grow.html