Unveiling ICE’s $1 Billion Step: Newark Detention Facility Reopens

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement document with flag

ICE is set to reopen a massive detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, making it the largest on the East Coast as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Quick Takes

ICE will reopen Delaney Hall in Newark with a 1,000-bed capacity, making it the largest immigration detention center on the East Coast
The facility, owned by private contractor GEO Group, secured a $900 million contract spanning 15 years ($60 million annually)
This marks the first detention center to open under the new Trump administration, directly supporting his mass deportation policies
New Jersey previously attempted to block ICE facilities with state law, but portions were deemed unconstitutional in 2023
The Newark location’s proximity to an international airport strategically supports deportation logistics

Largest East Coast Detention Center Set to Reopen

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will soon reopen Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey. With a capacity of 1,000 beds, the facility will become the largest immigration detention center on the East Coast. The center, adjacent to the Essex County jail, previously housed detainees from 2011 to 2017 and is strategically positioned near Newark Liberty International Airport, which officials note provides significant logistical advantages for processing and deportation operations. Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello emphasized the strategic importance of this location in implementing the administration’s immigration policies stating, “The location near an international airport streamlines logistics, and helps facilitate the timely processing of individuals in our custody as we pursue President Trump’s mandate to arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens from our communities”

The reopening represents the first major detention center activation under President Trump’s new administration. The facility will be operated by GEO Group, a private contractor that specializes in correctional and detention facilities. GEO Group has secured a substantial contract with ICE worth $60 million annually for 15 years, totaling approximately $900 million over the contract’s duration. The company has been positioning itself to capitalize on the administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement.

ICE is set to reopen a detention facility in Newark that will nearly double the agency’s capacity to detain people in the NYC region.

Prison contractor The GEO Group said the 1,000 bed facility would open this spring, and that the company had signed a 15-year contract with ICE… pic.twitter.com/opbERHJBZN

— US Ship of State (@US_ShipOfState) February 28, 2025

Strategic Location and Operational Advantages

The proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport provides significant operational advantages for the agency’s enforcement mission, particularly as it relates to deportation procedures. The facility will substantially increase detention capacity in the Northeast region, where New Jersey currently has just one active immigration detention center in Elizabeth with a 270-person capacity.

The reopening will significantly expand ICE’s detention capabilities in the region. Currently, New York has three detention facilities with a combined capacity of 600 beds, while Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center holds just over 1,000 individuals. Once operational, Delaney Hall will match the largest facility in the Northeast region while providing critical capacity near major population centers along the eastern seaboard.

Legal Challenges and Private Contracting

The reopening of Delaney Hall comes despite New Jersey’s previous attempts to prevent new ICE detention facilities in the state. In 2021, New Jersey enacted legislation prohibiting public and private entities from entering into agreements to detain individuals for federal immigration authorities. However, portions of this law were deemed unconstitutional in 2023, and GEO Group subsequently filed a lawsuit citing the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, which establishes that federal law takes precedence over state laws.

GEO Group CEO David Donahue referenced the “scale of opportunity” presented by the administration’s immigration policies during a recent earnings call, signaling the company’s strategic alignment with the administration’s enforcement priorities. The private detention contractor stands to benefit substantially from increased detention demands as President Trump implements his promised crackdown on illegal immigration.

With Delaney Hall’s reopening scheduled for this spring, the facility represents a significant expansion of ICE’s operational capabilities in a region that has historically had limited detention capacity. The reopening aligns with the administration’s stated commitment to aggressive immigration enforcement and signals a renewed approach to detention and deportation operations along the East Coast.