The Department of Homeland Security secretary, Markwayne Mullin, publicly answered New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill over access and conditions at Delaney Hall in Newark, rebutting her claims about detainee treatment and pointing to state prison issues in New Jersey while inspectors and visiting Republicans reported acceptable conditions.
For more than two weeks, protesters and anti-ICE activists have targeted Delaney Hall in Newark, creating a tense atmosphere outside the facility. Gov. Mikie Sherrill joined a protest in May and sought entry, which escalated political attention and media noise. Her actions amplified scrutiny even though state officials do not hold federal oversight authority over the site.
Sherill later gained entry but expressed frustration with the limits of the tour she received and insisted she could not speak with detainees. That public complaint ran directly into a forceful reply from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who underscored the federal nature of the facility and noted he had granted access as a courtesy. The dispute quickly became a focal point for competing narratives about transparency and political theater.
After being denied access for weeks, I was finally allowed into Delaney Hall – but what I received was a closely controlled and limited tour of the facility. That is unacceptable.
https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2064023007421423734?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
I was not allowed to meet or speak directly with the detainees, which continues to raise serious questions about the real conditions of the facility and the treatment of those held there. I will continue to push to speak with the detainees directly. They deserve to be heard and the public deserves answers.
Sherrill vowed to keep pressing for Delaney Hall’s closure, asserting detainees needed representation and oversight. Mullin replied bluntly, calling her statements predictable and framed his response around the limits of her authority. He emphasized that she had been granted access and that federal protocols restrict direct contact with detainees during such visits.
I’m not surprised you would say something like this, @GovSherrillNJ
On June 8th, I personally granted you access to the facility as an act of good faith— despite you having exactly ZERO federal oversight authority. Of course, you’re still trying to turn Delaney Hall into a political football for the radical left.
You were told BEFORE you went in you would not have the ability to speak to detainees. This is a federal facility, Governor. You are NOT federally elected.
I suggest you and your health inspectors spend more time at your New Jersey state detention facilities. Delaney Hall has 2x more medical personnel per detainee than NJ state prison, and at least 2x as much square footage. Detainees are also 2x more likely to die in NJ state custody.
Mullin didn’t stop there; he aimed the critique back at state institutions and asked Sherrill to address problems closer to home. He listed specific issues that, he said, demonstrate systemic failures in New Jersey’s state prison system rather than at the federal detention center. The message was clear: focus on local accountability before turning federal facilities into political targets.
Governor Sherrill won’t tell you: New Jersey state prisons face systemic health code violations. Over 8,000 grievances are filed annually by inmates.
Northern State Prison: untreated flooding, sewage and wastewater sewage, and lack of temperature control.
Garden State Youth Correctional Facility: received citations for filthy conditions with standing water and rodent infestations.
New Jersey State Prison: contaminated site surrounded by six other toxic sites within half a mile. Sick call requests also face major delayed response times in NJ state prisons.
I’d encourage @GovSherrillNJ to focus on her own backyard, and put the safety of her own constituents above illegal aliens.
Republican visitors have also weighed in, saying conditions appeared acceptable during their visits. Border advisor Tom Homan and Rep. Jeff Van Drew reported they observed humane conditions, with Homan saying he sat down and ate with detainees. Those firsthand accounts have been cited by DHS supporters to counter the governor’s claims.
Independent health inspections added another data point: state inspectors reportedly evaluated the facility’s kitchens and food storage areas and found the food service areas to be satisfactory. That inspection result has been used to argue the facility meets basic operational standards despite the political blowback. The exchange between Sherrill and Mullin keeps spotlighting how oversight, politics, and public messaging collide in high-profile custody cases.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
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