Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a Democrat from New York City, 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 joined by other lawmakers to call for the facility's closure and improved 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 allowing lawmakers unannounced access to detention centers.
During the visit, he claimed that most detainees are "working people" who have been separated from their families. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who arrived later, criticized the conditions at the center, alleging inadequate food and medical services. Nadler claimed that detainees often receive sparse meals and may even find maggots in their food, a statement that was denied by facility officials.
Rep. Daniel Goldman echoed concerns about the treatment of detainees, stating that many have been in the U.S. for years and have American-citizen children. He criticized the narrative that ICE is targeting the worst offenders, asserting that many detainees do not have criminal records. The visit was marked by protests outside the facility, where tensions escalated, leading to the use of pepper spray by ICE agents.
