In January, Gabriela Soto's husband was detained at Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark, New Jersey. Since then, she has been "very stressed," comforting her heartbroken children and spending thousands on asylum-related legal cases. She regularly visits her husband on weekends but has been rejected over 10 times due to alleged dress code violations.
On one occasion, a guard nearly rejected them because of her 11-month-old's onesie. Another time, her four-year-old daughter was denied entry for wearing leggings. When asked why, guards said the clothing was too "provocative." "How is that provocative if she's only four years old?" Soto asked.
National Attention and Protests
Delaney Hall recently gained national attention after mass protests and a detainee hunger strike. New Jersey sued the facility's private owner, Geo Group, to allow health inspectors greater access, citing "unsanitary food and drink preparation and storage." The Department of Homeland Security denied a hunger strike and said inspectors had been granted access, but advocates continue to demand an end to alleged inhumane conditions.
Arbitrary Dress Code Enforcement
Family members say the dress code creates distress. Since the facility opened last May, guards have rejected visitors over leggings, Crocs, heels, dresses, shorts, and more. The rules ban form-fitting or revealing clothing, including open-toed shoes and pants with holes. "Gang colors" are also prohibited but undefined.
The dress code states it applies only to visitors aged 12 and older, yet toddlers have been rejected. Activists note that Delaney Hall's dress code is unusually cruel compared to other ICE facilities. Kathy O'Leary of Pax Christi USA said, "Delaney Hall is weird," noting that other centers don't reject children for their clothing.
Volunteers Provide Free Clothes
In response, volunteers from #EyesOnIce hand out free clothes outside Delaney Hall on visitation days. On April 28, activists with plastic bins full of clothes helped many visitors. Guards rejected over a dozen visitors that day, including a 16-year-old in a knee-length black dress that met her school's uniform policy.
Twenty-four-year-old Daphinne Bazzoni was rejected for off-white Crocs. Crocs are commonly rejected due to the open-toed shoe ban. A pile of leftover Crocs often sits by the bins. Other rejections include heel booties and closed-toe sandals, despite the dress code only prohibiting open-toed shoes.
Changing Rules Cause Anxiety
Visitors say the rules are inconsistently enforced. Valeria, a young mother, was rejected about 10 times. "I could wear these pants for a week, and out of nowhere, they're like, 'You cannot come in this,'" she said. She arrives an hour early but her visits are often delayed. On one occasion, a guard threatened to cancel her visit for arriving 10 minutes late.
Gabriela Soto's daughter had a drawing ripped up by guards on her fourth birthday, causing the child to burst into tears. Since then, Soto keeps to herself to avoid trouble. "I don't even look at anybody," she said.
ICE initially ignored requests for comment but later stated, "All visitors to ICE detention centers must follow the dress code... to protect visitors and complies with our national detention standard." Geo Group directed inquiries to ICE.
