The New Jersey Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, calls on Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey to prepare accommodations for its Muslim detainees ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
CAIR-NJ also welcomed the recent release of a detainee earlier this month. This detainee was actively working through the steps of completing their permanent residency process and was detained by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and sent to Delaney Hall in early December. Their green card was processed while at Delaney Hall and was released in early February.
The detainee described troubling conditions at Delaney Hall. The detainee also reports that despite their repeated requests, Muslim detainees within Delaney Hall did not have basic accommodations such as access to religious materials like prayer mats, Qur’ans, or prayer beads.
In a statement, the anonymous detainee said:
“Being unable to pray and our lack of access to an Imam at Delaney was difficult on the Muslim detainees. I encourage officials to speak up and call on the facility to prepare better for the holy month of Ramadan.”
NOTE: The former detainee fears reprisal via an appeal of their green card and wishes to remain anonymous.
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said:
“As we approach the holy month of Ramadan — a sacred period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection for Muslims — Delaney Hall and other ICE detention facilities across our nation have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that detained Muslims can practice their faith with dignity. This includes granting them access to prayer space, Qur’ans, religious literature, prayer mats, chaplaincy services, and appropriate meals before dawn and after sunset.”
“We are calling on Delaney Hall to immediately correct these failures and on New Jersey’s congressional delegation to use its oversight authority to ensure that religious freedom does not stop at the doors of a detention facility.”
With the holy month of Ramadan starting on Feb 17th officials at the facility need to act quick to accommodate the need. CAIR-NJ is committed to advocating for the religious rights and accommodations of Muslims detained within Delaney Hall and stands ready to serve as a partner in that effort.
CAIR-NJ and local partners launch fundraising campaign to purchase religious items for Delaney Hall Muslim detainees.
SEE: “Faith While Detained: Support Delaney Hall Muslims” https://cair.networkforgood.com/projects/295703-faith-while-detained-support-delaney-hall-muslims
“Detention often strips people of comfort, routine, and connection. For Muslim detainees, the ability to pray properly, read Qur’an, and observe their faith provides solace, structure, and hope. These items offer more than religious observance; they are a source of peace, identity, and strength in the face of uncertainty,” Maksut added. “Through this fundraiser, we aim to ensure that Muslims detained at Delaney Hall are not forced to practice their faith without the tools they need.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut, smaksut@cair.com, 862-264-9414