A serious security breach unfolded Thursday evening at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, following a violent disturbance among illegal immigrants held at the facility.
The chaos led to four detainees escaping custody, prompting an immediate and extensive law enforcement effort to locate and recapture the fugitives.
A senior Homeland Security official confirmed that additional law enforcement agencies were quickly called in to respond to the situation.
A “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert was issued, signaling a coordinated manhunt for the four escapees.
Reports from inside the facility suggest the unrest stemmed from tensions over delayed meals.
Immigration attorney Mustafa Cetin told NJ.com that about 50 illegal immigrants became agitated, ultimately pushing down a dormitory wall to facilitate an escape attempt.
Cetin described the wall as “not very strong” and said detainees were seen hanging bedsheets, possibly to aid in their efforts to flee.
The situation reportedly escalated to violence, with some detainees describing the presence of a gas-like substance during the disturbance.
Local law enforcement wasted no time in responding. By early evening, dozens of officers from the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and Newark Police Department had arrived at the scene.
Rutgers University-Newark professor