WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and 9 other members of the New Jersey delegation to send a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland calling on the Department of Justice to rescind its support for CoreCivic, a private prison company, in its lawsuit against the State of New Jersey to overturn a 2021 law which prohibits state and local entities from entering into agreements with private detention facilities to detain noncitizens.
The law, AB 5207, was signed by Governor Phil Murphy in August 2021 with the goal of ending the use of private immigration detention facilities in the state. The letter reads in part, “This legislation answered the call of local communities,concerned citizens, and advocacy groups that promote the interests of New Jerseyans over for-profit prison companies to permanently close the Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC), a facility with a history of poor sanitation, crumbling infrastructure, and complaints of physical and verbal abuse.”
“CoreCivic, in contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has held hundreds of immigrants in poor conditions at EDC despite sustained protests and legal battles calling for a range of interventions, including improved conditions, closure of the facility, and freedom for detainees,” wrote Booker, Watson Coleman, and the group to Attorney General Garland. “Based on reports from detained individuals and legal advocates, inhumane conditions at EDC include a lack of proper air quality, sanitation violations, overcrowding, inadequate medical and mental health care, and incidents of retaliation and abusive treatment by guards and staff. Despite extensive complaints, lawsuits, protests, and calls for action, ICE and CoreCivic are seeking to renew their contract for the sixth time and extend operations at the EDC after the expiration of their current contract on August 31, 2023.
“We respectfully request that the DOJ rescind its statement of interest in the CoreCivic Lawsuit and stand with the citizens of New Jersey.”
Throughout his time in the Senate, Senator Cory Booker has worked to eliminate the use of privately operated detention centers. Booker is the lead author of the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, bicameral legislation that was reintroduced earlier this year with U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Adam Smith (D-WA) that specifically targets the inhumane conditions of detention centers and protects the civil and human rights of immigrants. Additionally, earlier this year, Senator Booker led 16 of his Senate colleagues in urging President Biden not to reimplement ineffective and inhumane family detention centers.
The letter was signed by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Robert Menendez Jr. (NJ-8), Bill Pascrell (NJ-09), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Andy Kim (NJ-03), and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11).
The letter can be viewed here.