Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told hunger-striking migrants to allow themselves to be deported back home if they don’t like the food they’re being served at an ICE detention facility in New Jersey.
The hunger strike at Delaney Hall has become the latest flash point in the immigration debate, with protesters clashing with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel trying to come and go from the Newark facility.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said state health inspectors tried to conduct an inspection Thursday but were only granted limited access. She said that raised “serious questions about what ICE is trying to hide.”
Congressional Democrats have been inside, with their access guaranteed by a federal law and court ruling, and they’ve reported that they share the worries of migrants who say food and conditions are unsanitary.
But Mr. Mullin said the hunger strike is over migrants not getting the “ethnic” food they wanted.
“They can go back to their country and get whatever food they want,” he said. “The fact is, we’re giving them the calories they want. This isn’t Holiday Inn. We’re giving them sanitation.”
President Trump also weighed in, calling ICE’s detention centers “the finest facilities in the world of their type.”
The Democratic lawmakers describe the conditions very differently.
Sen. Andy Kim, New Jersey Democrat, said he rushed to Delaney Hall when he heard the hunger strike had broken out over the weekend.
He said he learned of a pregnant woman “unable to get full OBGYN medical support,” a mother not allowed to spend more than a “few minutes” with her 4-month-old baby, a carton of milk with “congealed solid” in it — despite an expiration date that hadn’t arrived yet, and an immigration court docket showing one judge was scheduled to hear 74 cases in one day.
Mr. Kim said he was caught in the melee when federal agents used pepper balls against the crowd of protesters.
Mr. Mullin, speaking to reporters, suggested Mr. Kim was in the wrong place if he was associating with “antifa” demonstrators who were blocking ICE from access to its own facility.
“I’m sorry, you probably shouldn’t have been there,” the secretary told Mr. Kim. They are former colleagues from the Senate, where Mr. Mullin served until he was confirmed as secretary in March.
“What the Trump admin doesn’t seem to understand is I’m not worried about my safety, I’m worried about the safety of my constituents,” Mr. Kim said on social media in response. “I’m worried about people in my state both inside and outside of Delaney Hall. I’ll take on risk to try and keep them safe.”
Mr. Trump questioned the origins of the demonstrators.
“These aren’t protesters, these people are fake. they’re all paid for,” he said.
Before the flare-up, DHS had receded somewhat from headlines under Mr. Mullin’s leadership, particularly compared to late last year and early this year under former Secretary Kristi Noem.
Immigration surges in Chicago and Minnesota sparked violent anti-ICE protests and resulted in two U.S. citizens shot and killed by DHS law enforcement personnel in Minneapolis in January.
Delaney Hall was established by ICE last year and has been a lightning rod from the start.
It was the scene of a clash last year between members of Congress and ICE personnel that resulted in assault charges being brought against Rep. LaMonica McIver.
Video released by DHS showed the New Jersey Democrat bashing her forearm into a uniformed federal agent.
Ms. McIver pleaded not guilty and moved to have the case dismissed as a vindictive prosecution. The judge rebuffed that, and Ms. McIver has appealed that ruling.
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