Newark, New Jersey — White House border adviser Tom Homan said Tuesday that immigration detainees participating in a hunger strike at a New Jersey detention facility could potentially be force-fed if doctors determine their health reaches a critical stage.
The comments came as roughly 300 detainees at Delaney Hall in Newark continue a coordinated labor and hunger strike that began last week. Protesters allege poor living conditions, inadequate medical treatment, and due-process violations inside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility.
Homan said ICE officials could seek court authorization for force-feeding if detainees face “extreme” medical danger. “If it gets bad enough,” he said, authorities may intervene to preserve detainees’ health.
The demonstrations escalated Monday when confrontations reportedly broke out outside the facility involving protesters, ICE agents, and elected officials. Reports indicated pepper spray was used during the unrest, and several arrests were made.
Rep. Rob Menendez, who visited the site, criticized the administration’s response and rejected the possibility of force-feeding detainees. He accused ICE of failing to provide adequate medical care and argued the agency had shown excessive harshness toward detainees.
The Department of Homeland Security disputed reports describing the protest as a major hunger strike, calling the situation a “political stunt.” Homan defended ICE detention standards, claiming the agency operates facilities at a high level despite ongoing criticism from immigrant-rights advocates and recent detainee deaths in federal custody.
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