A chaotic night unfolded at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in New Jersey when four migrants managed to escape during a riot sparked by frustrations over poor living conditions.

The men are still on the run, and authorities are offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to their capture.

Who Are the Four Escapees?

The four men were identified as Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez from Honduras, and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada and Andres Pineda-Mogollon from Colombia.

Bautista-Reyes entered the U.S. illegally in 2021 and had been arrested in May on serious charges including aggravated assault and possession of a weapon.
Sandoval-Lopez came to the U.S. as a minor in 2019 and has been arrested twice since for unlawful handgun possession and aggravated assault.
Castaneda-Lozada arrived in 2022 and was detained previously on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy.
Pineda-Mogollon overstayed a tourist visa after entering in 2023 and faced multiple arrests for petty theft and residential burglary.

Conflicting Reports on the Riot’s Scale

While multiple local news outlets reported a large-scale revolt involving around 50 detainees, the Department of Homeland Security pushed back, stating there was no widespread unrest at the facility.

According to reports from NJ.com and statements by New Jersey Senator Andy Kim, detainees managed to push down a section of drywall inside a dormitory, which led them to an exterior wall and onto the parking lot — providing the escape route for the four men.

Officials Call for Accountability and Security Overhaul

Senator Kim criticized the handling of the situation, calling it “incompetence and recklessness.”

He revealed that a security review is underway and promised a full investigation into how the breach happened.

The facility is also preparing to relocate many detainees as a precautionary measure.

Protesters gathered outside the center during the incident, blocking vehicle movement and condemning the facility’s conditions.

At times, ICE agents forcibly removed demonstrators from buses transporting detainees.

Poor Conditions Sparked Unrest

Detainees reportedly suffered from severe food shortages, with meals delayed by hours or missed entirely.

One woman whose husband is detained said that inmates went nearly 20 hours without food before receiving only a small portion.

This deprivation reportedly triggered a confrontation between detainees and guards, culminating in the wall being pushed down to create the escape path.

Calls to Shut Down Delaney Hall Grow Louder

The detention center, operated by GEO Group — a major private prison contractor — reopened in May after a $60 million contract with the Trump administration.

It can hold up to 1,000 detainees at a time.

However, local politicians have challenged the facility’s reopening, questioning the validity of its permits and certificates.

Representative LaMonica McIver was arrested for trespassing during her visit last month and charged with assaulting an officer.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was also arrested during protests, has been vocal about the center’s poor treatment of detainees and has condemned the federal government’s handling of the situation.

Community Leaders Speak Out

Mayor Baraka called the incident “yet another validation of the federal government’s reckless and irresponsible approach,” accusing it of ignoring legal norms and tolerating harsh conditions inside the detention center.

His concerns include allegations that guards withheld food and treated detainees poorly, which have fueled community outrage and demands for reform or closure.