DHS Reports Escape of Four Detainees from Newark Immigration Facility

Four detainees have escaped from an immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These individuals were being held at Delaney Hall, a facility managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that detains persons facing deportation. As of Thursday night, federal officials confirmed that the four detainees were unaccounted for, prompting an investigation into whether they remained on the premises or had successfully escaped. DHS released a statement confirming the escape and noted that additional law enforcement agencies had been engaged in the search for the escapees.

An alert was issued to local law enforcement, and the agency urged community members to contact authorities with any pertinent information. A reward of $10,000 has been offered by DHS and the FBI for information leading to their capture. The escapees have been identified as Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, and Andres Pineda-Mogollon, all of whom are considered public safety threats. They hail from Honduras and Colombia and had previously been arrested for various reasons.

The GEO Group, which operates Delaney Hall, stated that they are collaborating with ICE to locate the missing detainees. They emphasized that the safety and security of both the facility and the surrounding community is their top priority. The situation has raised concerns, especially after incidents of protests at the facility earlier in May regarding inhumane conditions. The local community has also been affected, with reports of disturbances leading to heightened police activity.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka expressed his worries about the lack of oversight and the treatment of detainees in the facility, asserting that private prisons pose significant issues for both local governance and constitutional rights. He called for greater transparency and monitoring to ensure the dignity and safety of all individuals within such facilities.