ICE is set to open the East Coast’s largest immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, with a massive $900 million private contract, despite state opposition to such facilities.
Quick Takes
- ICE is reopening Delaney Hall in Newark with 1,000 beds, making it the largest immigration detention center on the East Coast
- The facility is owned by GEO Group, which secured a $900 million contract spanning 15 years ($60 million annually)
- This marks the first detention center to open under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on illegal immigration
- The reopening comes despite New Jersey’s law attempting to ban ICE from operating immigrant-specific detention facilities
- GEO Group’s CEO cited Trump’s mass deportation policies as creating a “scale of opportunity” for the company
Massive Detention Center Planned for Newark
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced plans to reopen a federal immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The facility, known as Delaney Hall, will have a 1,000-bed capacity, making it the largest such facility on the East Coast. Owned by private prison contractor GEO Group, the detention center previously housed immigrant detainees from 2011 to 2017 and is strategically located adjacent to the Essex County jail. This development represents a significant expansion of detention capacity in the Northeast region.
Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello emphasized the strategic advantages of the location in an official statement, pointing to its proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport as a key logistical benefit for processing and transportation of detainees stating, “The location near an international airport streamlines logistics, and helps facilitate the timely processing of individuals in our custody as we pursue President Trump’s mandate to arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens from our communities” The reopening aligns with the administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement and deportation operations, providing much-needed capacity to handle increased detentions expected under newer, stricter immigration policies.
ICE is set to reopen a detention facility in Newark that will nearly double the agency’s capacity to detain people in the NYC region.
Prison contractor The GEO Group said the 1,000 bed facility would open this spring, and that the company had signed a 15-year contract with ICE… pic.twitter.com/opbERHJBZN
— US Ship of State (@US_ShipOfState) February 28, 2025
Private Contractor Secures Lucrative Long-Term Deal
The GEO Group, a major private prison corporation, has secured a substantial contract with ICE for the operation of the Newark facility. The agreement is valued at approximately $60 million annually for a 15-year period, totaling around $900 million over the life of the contract. This represents one of the largest investments in immigration detention infrastructure in recent years and demonstrates the significant financial stake private contractors have in the immigration enforcement system.
The GEO Group’s CEO, David Donahue, has been transparent about the business opportunity presented by the current administration’s immigration policies. In statements to investors, Donahue highlighted the “scale of opportunity” created by Trump’s mass deportation initiatives. The company’s stock has reportedly seen significant gains following the announcement of this contract, reflecting investor confidence in the expansion of detention operations.
Legal Challenges and State Opposition
The reopening of Delaney Hall comes amid significant legal battles between federal immigration authorities and the state of New Jersey. The state passed legislation in recent years explicitly banning ICE from establishing new immigrant-specific jails within its borders. However, portions of this law were deemed unconstitutional in 2023 court rulings. The GEO Group subsequently filed a lawsuit against New Jersey in 2024, citing the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause to argue that federal immigration enforcement powers supersede state restrictions.
Currently, New Jersey has only one active immigration detention center in Elizabeth, with a capacity of 270 people. Neighboring New York operates three detention centers with a combined capacity of 600 beds. Until now, Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center has been the region’s largest facility, with just over 1,000 beds. The addition of Delaney Hall significantly increases detention capacity in the Northeast, potentially altering regional immigration enforcement dynamics.
First Major Facility Under New Administration
Delaney Hall will be the first detention center to open under the current Trump administration, signaling a renewed emphasis on detention as a key component of immigration enforcement strategy. The facility is expected to begin operations in spring 2025, with preparations already underway to renovate and staff the center. This represents a significant shift from the previous administration’s approach, which had moved away from expanding detention capacity in favor of alternative monitoring programs for certain categories of migrants.
As the Biden administration ended numerous detention contracts with private facilities, the reversal under the current administration indicates a return to greater reliance on private contractors for immigration enforcement operations. The Newark facility’s reopening may be the first of several such expansions across the country as the administration implements its immigration priorities, potentially creating further opportunities for private detention contractors in the coming years.
Sources:
ICE to open East Coast’s largest federal immigration detention center in Newark
ICE signs $1 billion contract with private firm for New Jersey detention center
ICE Signs $1B Deal to Reopen N.J. Detention Center
