Newark: Two of the four detainees who escaped from the Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center in New Jersey, USA, last week remain missing, as federal and local scrutiny intensifies over the facility's operations and conditions, American media reported.
According to Anadolu Agency, the FBI is offering up to $10,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of Franklin Norberto Bautista Reyes, 20, and Andres Felipe Pineda Mogollon, 25. Reyes had prior arrests for aggravated assault and weapons possession, while Mogollon was facing charges for petty larceny and burglary. The other escapees, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, have been rearrested, officials confirmed.
The detainees managed to escape late Thursday night by pushing through a weakened wall in their unit and accessing a parking lot, according to Sen. Andy Kim, who visited the site with Rep. Rob Menendez. Kim called the breach "incompetence and recklessness" and noted that a federal review is underway, which may determine if the facility should be shut down.
The escape reportedly occurred during unrest triggered by limited access to food. "Because they were doing movements of detainees around, using the cafeteria... that interrupted dramatically the ability for detainees to get access to food," Kim said, adding that detainees had already been receiving inadequate portions. Family members and advocates described conditions as inhumane, citing delayed meals, blocked visitation, and unsanitary environments, CBS News reported.
"They are constantly ignored," said the wife of a detainee. Protesters clashed with ICE agents outside Delaney Hall as detainees were seen being relocated Friday. The facility, operated by GEO Group under a federal contract, has faced sustained opposition since its reopening earlier this year.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was previously arrested at the site during an inspection, stated: "This entire situation lacks sufficient oversight of every basic detail-including local zoning laws and fundamental constitutional rights." Rep. LaMonica McIver, who also faces charges after a prior protest, commented: "The administration appears to be stonewalling efforts to learn the truth."