The City of Newark has taken legal action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), filing a complaint in Essex County Superior Court over alleged violations of municipal and state regulations regarding the use of Delaney Hall.

Mayor Ras J. Baraka issued a strong statement on the matter, asserting that ICE failed to adhere to proper building safety protocols before opening the facility.

“Today, the City of Newark is filing a complaint with Essex County Superior Court because ICE has opened their Delaney Hall facility without following proper building safety protocols. They failed to give city officials access to conduct inspections required under municipal ordinances and state code. This violates city and state law,” Baraka stated.

City officials were also alerted to unauthorized construction at the site. According to the mayor, no permits had been issued for the work being conducted. As a result, the Department of Engineering issued a stop-work order to immediately halt all construction activities.

“The City was informed that construction work is taking place in the building without required permits. The Department of Engineering imposed a stop work order to halt any and all construction on the site today. Two ICE officials and the GEO Group facility director on site were made aware of the violations,” Baraka revealed.

Beyond the unauthorized construction, Mayor Baraka emphasized additional legal breaches, including ICE’s failure to apply for construction permits, certificates of occupancy, and approvals to modify the facility’s intended use.

The facility, operated by the private prison contractor GEO Group, is reportedly being used to detain immigrants slated for deportation. However, Mayor Baraka insisted that ICE’s agreement with GEO Group does not override Newark’s legal requirements.

“The agreement between ICE and the GEO Group to use Delaney Hall with the intention of incarcerating and holding immigrants slated for deportation does not supersede the ordinances and procedures legislated by the City of Newark and the State of New Jersey,” he asserted.

Reaffirming his stance, Baraka made it clear that Newark will not tolerate federal agencies bypassing local and state laws.

“As I have stated in the past, without compliance with requirements, Delaney Hall cannot lawfully open. We will not tolerate federal attempts to ignore or evade our laws and statutes, which apply to everyone.”

This legal challenge underscores the ongoing tensions between local governments and federal immigration authorities, particularly in cities that prioritize strict enforcement of municipal and state laws over federal mandates.