Van Drew toured Newark ICE facility — then challenged critics to take a lie detector test

✅ Rep. Jeff Van Drew said a tour of Delaney Hall left him impressed with conditions.

➡️ The South Jersey Republican challenged critics to take lie detector tests about claims made against the facility.

⚠️ Democrats said some improvements have been made but insist serious concerns remain.

NEWARK — A Republican congressman from South Jersey had nothing but praise for the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility and challenged Democrats to take a lie detector test about who's being truthful about conditions.

The detention center has become a political battleground over immigration enforcement, detainee treatment and cooperation with federal authorities. While Republicans such as Rep. Jeff Van Drew say conditions are being misrepresented for political purposes, Democratic lawmakers continue to push for additional oversight and the eventual closure of the facility.

The facility has been a flashpoint for Democrats critical of immigration policy under the Trump administration for the past week as families have complained about poor conditions, inedible food and a lack of medical attention.

At least 61 protesters were arrested by State Police outside Delaney Hall on the first night of a 9 p.m. curfew.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. 2nd District, said he went to the Delaney Hall ICE detention center expecting to see the worst and was pleasantly surprised by what he found.

"We were in the facility, we dug deep, we toured all aspects of it," Van Drew told New Jersey 101.5 after his visit on Monday afternoon. "I had a feeling it was going to be OK, but I kept an open mind. I wanted to see what it was about. I have to tell you, I was even more pleasantly surprised. This facility is nice. It is clean. It is safe."

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Van Drew says conditions inside exceeded his expectations

Van Drew cited the recreation facilities as one bright spot at Delaney Hall. It is well equipped and the Republican would be happy to do his workout there.

"I'm not talking about one chin-up bar or something. They have beautiful equipment; they have soccer fields. It's unbelievable. I'd be tickled to work out there. I go to work out every day, and I wish my workout area was as nice as some of the stuff they have there," Van Drew said.

Some of the detainees come in with medical issues like high cholesterol, high blood pressure or drug and alcohol issues that are treated with help from the nearby Rutgers University teaching hospital. Van Drew was also impressed with the food.

"It was surprisingly, shockingly good. The meals, three hot squares a day for good food, turkey, chicken, roast beef, a broad array of foods, vegetables, salads, and if you are Jewish, they have kosher, and if you are Islamic, they had halal. And if you have high blood pressure or other dietary restrictions or allergies, they have special meals for you," Van Drew said.

Border czar Tom Homan visited Delaney Hall on Monday and tried several dishes, according to Van Drew.

Democrats acknowledge improvements but continue pushing for changes

Van Drew's assessment differs sharply from that of Democratic lawmakers who have visited the facility in recent weeks.

In a post on X after an unannounced visit Tuesday, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-NJ, said he and Rep. Analilia Mejia were able to confirm some of the conditions detainees previously described while also observing improvements.

“I’m back at Delaney Hall with @RepAnalilia, and we were able to confirm the horrible conditions detainees described to us in our previous oversight visits. However, we also verified the release of some of this facility’s most medically vulnerable detainees and saw improvements,” Pallone wrote.

Pallone said his goal remains closing the facility but that detainees need immediate relief.

The lawmakers said the restoration of family visitation and the release of several pregnant women followed advocacy efforts by protesters, Democratic members of Congress and Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

In a joint statement, Democratic members of New Jersey's congressional delegation said those changes were "small but meaningful improvements" but maintained that serious concerns remain regarding conditions inside the facility.

The lawmakers said they plan to continue announced and unannounced oversight visits and reiterated their position that Delaney Hall should ultimately be closed.

Van Drew challenges critics and blames politics

If the conditions are as good as Van Drew described, why are Sen. Andy Kim, New York Rep. Jerry Nadler and Gov. Mikie Sherrill saying conditions are terrible? Van Drew said it's all about politics.

"They are encouraging all kinds of problems because they want to win midterm elections and they want to keep the people on the ultra-left socialist part of their party happy, and now you've got to be kind of crazy to keep them happy. They are doing everything that they can do, and includes, I'm sorry to say, not telling the truth."

Van Drew offered to take a lie detector test about the conditions at Delaney Hall and challenged Democrats to do the same.

The South Jersey Republican also praised State Police and Newark police for how they handled protesters outside Delaney Hall during the weekend and called it an example of why all law enforcement should be able to work with ICE.

"Where the riots break out, where people get hurt, are in the blue states, where there is no cooperation between local enforcement and the federal enforcement," Van Drew said. "I do have to say that Governor Sherrill did the right thing in making sure that the State Police were working with the federal authorities."

Van Drew ties immigration enforcement to New Jersey costs

Van Drew said New Jersey should turn over unauthorized immigrants being held in state prisons so they can get due process and be deported if necessary, as they are helping make the state unaffordable.

"New Jersey can't afford it. The people can't afford their grocery bills, they can't afford their property taxes, they can't afford the fuel costs, they can't afford what they're paying for energy in their homes, and damn it, they certainly can't afford this. How about giving the New Jersey taxpayer a break?" Van Drew said.

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