Homan says New Jersey ICE detention center may not be a "five-star resort" but is still "well run"
Tom Homan defended conditions at Delaney Hall, rejecting claims of poor treatment and overcrowding. The comments came as protests, lawsuits, and calls for access continue around the New Jersey ICE facility.
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Homan used a CBS News interview to push back on accusations that Delaney Hall is unsafe or badly managed, saying the facility is not perfect but is “well run.” The dispute has become a flashpoint for protests, a state lawsuit, and broader fights over ICE enforcement.
A big jail for immigration detainees in New Jersey is in a fight over whether it is being run safely. One official says it is not fancy, like a plain school cafeteria, but it is working fine, while others say the conditions may be bad and need more checking.
Analysis
What happened
CBS News reports that White House border czar Tom Homan defended Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center in New Jersey that has been the site of protests for more than a week. Homan said he toured the facility and rejected claims that conditions there are substandard, describing it as a detention center that is not luxurious but is still being run properly.
The dispute over conditions
The controversy intensified after Democratic lawmakers visited the site on Memorial Day and said detainees had staged a hunger strike over poor conditions. The Department of Homeland Security denied that a hunger strike occurred and pushed back on claims of bad treatment. Homan said the allegations are coming from critics who want to shut the facility down or weaken ICE.
Legal and political pressure
On Tuesday, New Jersey's attorney general filed a lawsuit against GEO Group, the private company operating Delaney Hall under contract with ICE. The suit seeks to force broader access for state health inspectors and cites concerns including overcrowding, poor ventilation, inadequate medical care, unsanitary food preparation, and the spread of communicable disease. Homan disputed the overcrowding claim, saying the 1,000-bed facility was holding 706 detainees.
What comes next
Homan said conditions can always improve and did not call the facility perfect, but he said detainees' health is not at risk. He also said he supports transparency, while deferring questions about media access to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Separately, he said ICE plans to increase activity in New York and that the agency's role around the World Cup will focus on security rather than immigration enforcement, unless national security concerns are involved.
Key points
- Tom Homan said Delaney Hall is not a "five-star resort" but is still a well-run detention facility.
- He rejected allegations of overcrowding and said the 1,000-bed center was holding 706 detainees.
- New Jersey's attorney general sued GEO Group, citing concerns about access, ventilation, medical care, food preparation, and communicable disease.
- Protests outside the facility have continued since Memorial Day and have become a major flashpoint over ICE policy.
- Homan said ICE plans to increase activity in New York and that its World Cup role will focus on security.
If the facility is as Homan describes, officials could use more access and public scrutiny to show that conditions are acceptable and that detainee health is protected. Clearer transparency could reduce rumors and narrow the conflict to specific, fixable problems.
If the state lawsuit's claims are substantiated, the facility could face deeper legal, regulatory, and public-relations pressure. Continued protests and fights over access could also make the standoff more volatile and keep the detention center under intense scrutiny.
