On a rainy Saturday afternoon, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, their voices rising in anger and grief. The demonstration came in the wake of two recent deaths among detainees, sparking a rally that was part of a nationwide "National Day of Action" focused on immigrant rights.

The scene was tense but largely peaceful. However, tensions escalated when two protesters grabbed the entry gate, prompting staff at the center to use pepper spray. The crowd responded by shouting at workers and visitors passing through the checkpoint. "Go back into your hole troll," they yelled at a guard stationed near the entrance shack.

Inside, the day carried a different rhythm. At least four detainees were released Saturday afternoon. A group of volunteers, dedicated to helping detainees reintegrate, rang bells each time someone walked free. They offered food, gift cards to grocery stores, and even Uber rides as far as Philadelphia. Many visitors left the facility with tears in their eyes, small children in their arms.

The rally unfolded just one day after New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, a Democrat, announced a formal investigation into the GEO Group, the Florida-based company that operates Delaney Hall under a 15-year, $1 billion contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The probe will examine whether any action or inaction by the company violated the civil rights of detainees.

Delaney Hall has become a flashpoint in New Jersey’s debate over President Donald Trump’s escalated immigration enforcement since he took office last year. Family members of detainees have described a grim reality inside the 1,000-bed facility: spoiled food, denial of medical care, physical abuse, and a persistent shortage of basic hygiene products. The conditions led to a hunger strike in May.

At least three deaths have been linked to the center since it opened in May 2025, though only two have been publicly identified. Among them was Edwin Jovanny Lopez Cornejo, 39, who died on August 1 after falling ill. His family said he did not receive proper medical care and demanded an investigation into his death. A third death may also be tied to the facility, though details remain unclear.

Governor Mickie Sherrill, also a Democrat, criticized the company for blocking state oversight. She said executives had stopped her administration’s efforts to conduct a "full health inspection" of the center. In June, the state Department of Health sued GEO Group, alleging that inspectors were denied access to observe conditions in the medical unit, bathrooms, showers, sleeping areas, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.

An ICE spokesman at the time insisted that inspectors were allowed access to Delaney Hall "where appropriate." Sherrill, however, was unequivocal: "We will not tolerate a facility that abdicates any transparency and accountability," she said in a statement.

The protest on Saturday was a visceral reminder of the human cost behind the policy debates. As the bells rang for each released detainee, the crowd cheered, but the underlying grief remained. The investigation by Davenport’s office is expected to take months, and advocates are watching closely to see whether it leads to meaningful change at a facility now under intense public scrutiny.