Congressman Van Drew Details Detention Facility Conditions Amid Anti-ICE Unrest

A Brooklyn man has been arrested and charged after allegedly screaming threats at police during anti-ICE protests outside a New Jersey detention facility, as state officials imposed a curfew following unrest that authorities described as rioters “going berserk” and disrupting a designated protest area.

Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who recently visited the Delaney Hall detention facility, provided a detailed account of conditions inside the facility, contradicting characterizations by some Democratic lawmakers. Van Drew stated that detainees receive comprehensive medical care, including access to a full-time physician and nurses, and noted that many arrive with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and diabetes.

According to Van Drew, the facility offers recreational amenities including soccer fields and a gym area, and provides three meals daily with accommodations for dietary and religious needs, including kosher and halal options, as well as low-salt and low-sugar meals.

“I wish that our seniors in America, American citizens, were treated as well as these people are being treated there,” Van Drew said. “I’m disgusted with the left and others on the other side, Senator Booker, Senator Kim, coming there and just not telling the truth.”

Van Drew emphasized that many detainees are individuals with criminal records, including those accused of felonies, and called for cooperation between New Jersey state officials and federal immigration authorities. He urged that individuals held in state facilities who are subject to immigration enforcement be transferred for deportation proceedings.

Regarding the option of voluntary departure, Van Drew noted that the U.S. government provides assistance for those who choose to self-deport. “If they don’t like it, the conditions, U.S. government will help them, and self-deport, giving them what they need to self-deport, get out, go back,” he said.

The comments come as Congress considers a $70 billion immigration enforcement package. Van Drew expressed confidence that the measure would pass both chambers, stating, “I very much believe it will pass the House… We owe the American people no less. They are not only illegals but illegal criminals. We want our people safe and Americans to be safe.”

The discussion also touched on reports that the Justice Department has temporarily halted work on an anti-weaponization fund, which some view as a potential precursor to the administration discontinuing the initiative.

The arrest of the Brooklyn man follows an incident in which he allegedly threatened law enforcement officers with statements including “All dead… your children, your wife, I have your face… you’re dead,” according to authorities.