Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a Democrat from Washington Heights, visited Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center on May 29, 2026, demanding entry with a court order. Espaillat, who identifies as the first formerly undocumented immigrant member of Congress, was part of a group of lawmakers advocating for the closure of the facility and better treatment for detainees. He stated, "I have a court order here that allows me to come in. I will go in because the Constitution protects me." Espaillat is also a plaintiff in a lawsuit aimed at ensuring lawmakers can access detention centers without prior notice.
During the visit, he claimed that most detainees are "working people" and not criminals, asserting that they have been separated from their families. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who joined Espaillat later, criticized the conditions at the center, alleging inadequate food and medical services. Nadler claimed that detainees often receive insufficient meals and face long waits for medical treatment, although ambulances were observed arriving at the facility.
Rep. Daniel Goldman echoed Nadler's concerns, stating that many detainees lack legal representation and that the deportation policies are misrepresented by the Trump administration. The visit was marked by protests outside the facility, with demonstrators clashing with law enforcement, leading to the use of pepper spray on multiple occasions.
