Search continues for detainees who escaped Delaney Hall ICE facility in NJ

NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) -- The search continues for four detainees who escaped from Delaney Hall in Newark Thursday night during a riot that broke out because of insufficient food.

On Friday, Senator Andy Kim and Congressman Rob Menendez toured the facility and met with top ICE officials.

Kim said officials alluded to the idea that they will move all detainees out of Delaney Hall within the next 24 hours. It’s unclear where they will be taken, but several buses of people have already left the detention center.

On Thursday night, inmates reportedly revolted over consistently meager portions that were delivered hours later.

“There was many, many hours with no food, and then dinner was brought out and it was a tiny amount of water and a naked hot dog,” said Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, who spoke to a client of his inside the facility.

In the midst of the chaos, four detainees managed to escape, breaking through a temporary wall and reportedly using bedsheets to parachute to the ground.

“There was a wall that was broken through,” said Kim. “They described it as a drywall with a mesh interior. That doesn’t sound secure to anybody. And that was leaking to an exterior wall….so they dropped into the parking lot and then escaped over the fence.”

Kim said the facility is now undergoing a full security review.

“Everything that they told me was that yes, it’s an insecure facility,” said Kim. “They do not have confidence in this facility and this is why they’re doing this security review.”