Congressmembers Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman Urge Department of Homeland Security to Terminate Efforts to Continue Elizabeth Detention Center ICE Contract

Congressman Menendez Called for Closure of the Facility in July

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alexander Mayorkas and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Patrick Lechleitner, Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) today urged the termination of ICE’s efforts to continue contracting with CoreCivic to operate the Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC).

“The Department of Homeland Security must take immediate action to terminate efforts to continue the operation of the Elizabeth Detention Center and prevent further profiteering from the maltreatment of migrants by CoreCivic,” said Congressman Menendez. “This facility does not live up to our district’s values and it must be closed. I thank my colleague Rep. Watson Coleman for her strong leadership on this important human rights issue.”

“The people of New Jersey believe in respecting the basic human rights of all people. For-profit prison companies have repeatedly shown that they cannot or will not respect the basic human rights of undocumented immigrants,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “To have a facility in our backyard with repeated instances of maltreatment runs counter to what New Jersey values. I’m calling on ICE to respect the wishes of New Jerseyans to close the Elizabeth Detention Center.”

Congressman Menendez called for the closure of the EDC in July. Today’s letter additionally calls for individuals detained at EDC to be transferred into community-based alternatives to detention, which have been proven to produce high compliance rates while allowing migrants to await their court dates with family members and within their communities.

The EDC, operated by private prison company CoreCivic, has faced lawsuits, complaints, and media reports alleging inhumane and abusive conditions, including physical and verbal assault and poor medical and sanitary conditions, over the nearly three decades it has been in operation. Two individuals detained at EDC have passed away, including Boubacar Bah, who went untreated for more than 13 hours after suffering a head injury, despite requests for medical assistance.

For a copy of the letter, please click here.