"They Are Not Alone Inside": Protests Outside New Jersey ICE Jail Support Hunger Striking Detainees
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We begin today in Newark, New Jersey, where tensions remain high since about 300 prisoners at the ICE jail known as
9 seconds
Delaney Hall began a hunger and labor strike Friday to protest inhumane conditions and due process violations.19 seconds
Delaney Hall is operated by the forprofit prison company Geog Group.24 seconds
Federal immigration agents have repeatedly clashed with protesters and community organizers outside the jail.29 seconds
Three people have reportedly been arrested. The Department of Homeland Security denied there's a hunger strike36 seconds
at Delaney Hall. But on Tuesday, the so-called border Tom Holman threatened42 seconds
to force feed the hunger strikers while speaking on Fox News.48 seconds
We're not going to change what we do because someone goes on a hunger strike.51 seconds
A
matter of fact, if it gets bad enough and the physicians feel like
they're putting themselves in extreme danger, medical danger, then we'll
force feed them. We'll get a court order enforcement. Hunger strikes do
not work.1 minute, 3 seconds
Meanwhile, DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen threatened to cut off international flights and customs1 minute, 10 seconds
processing to Newark airport if Newark continues its sanctuary city policies.1 minute, 17 seconds
He threatened all airports and sanctuary cities. On Monday, New Jerseyy's Democratic Governor Mikey Cheryl was1 minute, 25 seconds
denied entrance to Delaney Hall. This is Governor Cheryl.1 minute, 30 seconds
I'll
continue to work to go in, but at the same time, I think this really
brings to light why the state has been fighting Roxbury so hard because
this1 minute, 39 seconds
type of facility shows exactly why we should not have private mass detention facilities.1 minute, 45 seconds
Federal agents pepper sprayed protesters on Monday. Among those hit was New1 minute, 51 seconds
Jersey Democratic Senator Andy Kim as he tried to deescalate tensions between1 minute, 58 seconds
protesters and ICE agents. He had just completed a congressional tour of Delaney Hall along with Congress member2 minutes, 6 seconds
Rob Mendez. They described filthy bathrooms, abuse of guards, inadequate medical care, said prisoners were being2 minutes, 14 seconds
threatened with deportation to Ebola stricken countries. Tensions escalated Sunday after ICE removed Hunger Strike2 minutes, 22 seconds
participant Martin Sto, prompting protesters outside Delaney Hall to block a van being used to transport him away.2 minutes, 32 seconds
Masked
ICE agents responded by firing tear gas and pushing people to the
ground. Sto was ultimately transferred to an ICE jail in Elizabeth, New
Jersey.2 minutes, 44 seconds
On
Monday, New Jersey Democratic Congress member Rob Mendez went to the
Elizabeth Ice Jail after spending Sunday night outside Delaney Hall. He
shared this video on social media on Monday.2 minutes, 56 seconds
I went in and said I was there to conduct an unannounced oversight visit as I have the legal right to do and over3 minutes, 3 seconds
the next 18 hours was kept waiting um misled by ICE multiple times. But what I ultimately told Gabriella Martine's wife3 minutes, 11 seconds
was
that I would find him and I would see him. And that's just what we got
done doing here at the Elizabeth Detention Center where he's been
transferred to.3 minutes, 19 seconds
On Tuesday, Democracy Now Juan Gonzalez and I interviewed Gabriella Sto, the hunger striker Martin Sto's wife, and3 minutes, 29 seconds
Leodorno, an organizer with Moimeto Cosetcha, the immigrant rights group leading the protests outside Delaney3 minutes, 37 seconds
Hall. I began by asking Gabriella to describe when her husband Martin was first arrested by ICE and to walk us3 minutes, 45 seconds
through what happened over Memorial Day weekend.3 minutes, 48 seconds
He was detained in Carney, New Jersey in the 1st of February.3 minutes, 56 seconds
He was out getting diapers for our son.4 minutes, 1 second
He left around 5:30 6:00 and4 minutes, 7 seconds
around 7 I like didn't hear from him. So I started calling his phone but it was off.4 minutes, 16 seconds
Then around 10:15 10:30 at night is when he called me from a prison jail number.4 minutes, 24 seconds
I got a call from a prison jail number.4 minutes, 27 seconds
And at that moment, like my heart just stopped because I already knew what that was when I started this protest for Friday.4 minutes, 36 seconds
I wanted press to come so that they can see what they're doing to destroying families and separating them.4 minutes, 46 seconds
It was unfair that they targeted my husband because on that same Friday after after the protest like two hours4 minutes, 53 seconds
after they got him downstairs to the management office and the first question that he was asked if we release you now5 minutes, 2 seconds
will you tell your wife to stop this protest?5 minutes, 5 seconds
The second question was did you know your wife was organizing the protest outside?5 minutes, 11 seconds
And the third question was, are you the are you the one organizing the strike inside? He said no comment to all of5 minutes, 20 seconds
those three questions that he wants to go to his cell.5 minutes, 24 seconds
They took that literally and they locked him in his cell. I didn't hear from him for hours.5 minutes, 32 seconds
On Saturday, when I did visit him, his name was already highlighted on the paper. All the detainees that came down5 minutes, 39 seconds
for
visiting hours, they came down. My husband was the only one that didn't
come down. I went to the guard and I told him, um, why why did my
husband not5 minutes, 49 seconds
come down? His name was highlighted on the paper. I saw the paper and the guard told me, "Oh, I wanted to talk to you5 minutes, 56 seconds
before I brought him down." He took like 10 minutes asking me questions about why I'm spreading lies, why I am talking to6 minutes, 4 seconds
the press, why I'm trying to bring light into what they're doing is injust. He said, "Why are you telling people that6 minutes, 13 seconds
we're
feeding them worms? Why are you telling people that we don't give them
medical care?" I said, "Because it's true." And he said, "It's not true.6 minutes, 20 seconds
You're just spreading lies." I stood back a little bit and I said, "Do you want me to get testimony from every6 minutes, 29 seconds
detainee here? Do you want me to do that?" He said, "No, just stop spreading lies." And I said, "Bring me my husband."6 minutes, 37 seconds
After I left, it was I stayed out the night. Um, it was Sunday now.6 minutes, 47 seconds
I got a call from him at 3 saying if I'm going to go in to see him. I said yes.6 minutes, 53 seconds
We were on the phone talking about that he was waking up, what he doing the day and everything.7 minutes, 1 second
And then on a recorded monitor line, I heard agents tell my husband, "Release Martin stood. Release. Release. Outside.7 minutes, 12 seconds
Outside. America. America. Release.7 minutes, 16 seconds
Release."
like you're getting released, like you're going out, like you're not
getting deported, like you're like you're getting out. I have witnesses7 minutes, 24 seconds
from the detainees inside of unit 2 that they saw my husband sign the order of release. I was in the ramp on the7 minutes, 33 seconds
visitation chapel ramp. I was looking at the door when they get released or when they get transferred.7 minutes, 42 seconds
I saw him handcuffed and two agents, he was refusing to get in the van.7 minutes, 51 seconds
Two
agents grabbed him by his ankles and his arms or his wrists and threw
him in the van. I saw him personally thrown into the van.8 minutes, 2 seconds
At that moment, I called inside. I said, "Sally, Steph, like he's it's Martin.8 minutes, 9 seconds
Like, that's him." I rushed out. I opened, I ran out. And the and the guards, the the security people in the8 minutes, 16 seconds
little house, in the little penthouse, they were laughing while I was while I was running out.8 minutes, 25 seconds
Everybody
was blocking the van because they knew it was Martin. They knew it was
my husband. He was banging on the windows saying, "Gabby, where's my
wife?8 minutes, 35 seconds
Gabby,
help. Help." Right now, my husband is in Elizabeth detention center,
but if you look up his name, he's not in an ICE location. He's not in8 minutes, 44 seconds
the ICE locator. Like, he's disappeared from the locator, and that is what his eyes is doing. They're they're they're8 minutes, 51 seconds
separating people. They're they're disappearing them, innocent people.8 minutes, 56 seconds
Did you get to see your husband in Elizabeth where he's being detained now? Yes. And what did he say?9 minutes, 3 seconds
I when I saw him, he had his wrist bruised, his arm bruised.9 minutes, 11 seconds
It was red, purple, black.9 minutes, 15 seconds
He told me how they how they threw him in the van, how they threw him in the floor.9 minutes, 24 seconds
When they returned him back to Delaney, he how they9 minutes, 32 seconds
how they threw him in the last car when they were trying to escort him out.9 minutes, 41 seconds
Sorry. On Monday after midnight, when ICE agents showed up to Delaney9 minutes, 48 seconds
around 2 am, the first three cars that were there were a diversion because they knew protesters were there. As soon as9 minutes, 55 seconds
they were closing the barricade to not let any more cars through, one of the last cars, like the gray10 minutes, 3 seconds
looking the gray car speeding off, that was my husband in it.10 minutes, 10 seconds
He told me that he saw every single moment. He saw ICE agents pepper- sprraying people. He saw people blocking10 minutes, 17 seconds
the
cars. He saw people trying to fight for him. People were trying to
fight to not let that van to not let those cars leave. He saw all of
that. But he was restrained to the car.10 minutes, 26 seconds
And a GoFundMe page has been set up for you, Gabriella. Yes, because my husband,10 minutes, 33 seconds
he's facing criminal charges from ICE because they are claiming that my husband assaulted him, assaulted them.10 minutes, 44 seconds
So, I'm trying to find out on what more charges that they can charge him with.10 minutes, 52 seconds
I'm trying to see if I can get associated with lawyers, whether it's pro bono or whether it's, you know, paid11 minutes
lawyers, anything, because I know that criminal charges, they're very, really11 minutes, 6 seconds
bad.
And because I did the I130 petition for him to give him um citizenship
because he's my husband and I'm legally married to him.11 minutes, 16 seconds
And you're a US citizen.11 minutes, 17 seconds
And I'm a US citizen. So these criminal charges can actually hold back on his process.11 minutes, 26 seconds
So I'm trying to find a lawyer willing to to take on his case so that they can11 minutes, 33 seconds
prove that he didn't assault ICE. He's one person with five ICE agents. Five,11 minutes, 40 seconds
six, seven ICE agents. So how can one person arrested like handcuffed assault11 minutes, 49 seconds
So
many people, so many ICE agents who are armed. They're armed. They have
guns. They can use their hands. They're a lot bigger than him. My
husband in 411 minutes, 58 seconds
months lost 30 lbs. He is really skinny right now. How can one person who is12 minutes, 6 seconds
completely skinny and selfless and and and and helpless assault so many people? So they've12 minutes, 14 seconds
charged him when they were transferring him to the Elizabeth jail. Yes.12 minutes, 19 seconds
You
have two children together with Martin and you're pregnant with your
third. Um what are you telling? How old are your little ones?12 minutes, 29 seconds
One and four. What does your fouryear-old understand? She thinks dad's at work.12 minutes, 38 seconds
Um when we were at the protest, she was holding up the sign for her dad. She12 minutes, 45 seconds
didn't know what was happening, but she but she said I think to like a reporter,12 minutes, 53 seconds
"Papa, I want my papa." Like papa like I want my dad. I want to see my dad.13 minutes, 3 seconds
She cries every time we leave the visitation.13 minutes, 8 seconds
which is why I stopped trying to take her because she gets anxious. She gets heartbroken.13 minutes, 17 seconds
She
we're trying to tell her that's at work. He's coming. He's going to
just He's working because he has to buy you a little toy, a big toy or
cuz she really13 minutes, 27 seconds
wants a puppy. So we tried to also tell her, "But that dad is working to get you the puppy." And then she was like,13 minutes, 34 seconds
"Puppy? No, Dad. Yes. I'd like to bring in Lee Odoro from uh from Moento Coetcha. Lee, welcome to Democracy Now.13 minutes, 43 seconds
Uh can you talk about this detention facility? It's been in operation, the largest one in the New York metro area.13 minutes, 49 seconds
It's been open over a year. How how many incidents have occurred in that facility that you're aware of?13 minutes, 57 seconds
Yes.
So, um the facility has been reo reopened for about a year now. Uh you
know, there was a lot of resistance in the community. We all said that
it was14 minutes, 6 seconds
going to be a bad idea for them to reopen it. Uh there was already abuse reported uh prior to that. Um this year14 minutes, 14 seconds
unfortunately we saw the first death at Delaney Hall uh during uh intake. The the person who was being uh put into the14 minutes, 22 seconds
detention
facility wasn't even there for a day. Uh and when we asked for
explanations, the only thing that I uh well Gio really said was that he
had14 minutes, 31 seconds
fallen from the sta in the in the staircase or in the stairs. But nobody dies from the falling down, right? Um we14 minutes, 38 seconds
want we have been demanding more transparency. Um this what has is started to happen here at the Laney Hall in the past recent14 minutes, 47 seconds
days that has gotten a lot of attention is actually the culmination of uh different letters that we have gotten14 minutes, 54 seconds
from people who are detained describing the conditions.14 minutes, 58 seconds
Um if you can talk Gabriella about the demands of the people now it's two things right they're on hunger strike15 minutes, 6 seconds
and on a work strike. This is a forprofit company, Geog Group, that runs15 minutes, 13 seconds
this
facility. It's very interesting that the governor, Governor Cheryl,
said that a private company should not be running a mass detention
facility.15 minutes, 23 seconds
The conditions are in there are horrible. They get paid $1.50 a day for a whole day of work.15 minutes, 31 seconds
That
is why mainly um the hospitality tent outside of Delaney Hall, we help
families with getting to their commissary because it's never enough.15 minutes, 41 seconds
And there's families that sometimes just can't pay all the time for for for15 minutes, 49 seconds
like
these for like these things for them. It's basic things, toothbrushes,
food, essential things. Their demands are not to get better conditions.16 minutes, 1 second
Their demands are to get freed and be heard. There are innocent people in there. And Gabriella, how are you16 minutes, 9 seconds
communicating with people inside, Delaney? And how aware are they of the protests outside?16 minutes, 15 seconds
So, we get phone calls every day. Um, his Martin, my husband, gave my number16 minutes, 23 seconds
to his inmates, to his detainees. to contact me if anything I get phone calls.16 minutes, 30 seconds
Um they are very much aware what of what is happening outside.16 minutes, 37 seconds
We made it very strong for them to know that they are not alone inside that we're not letting anything happen to them.16 minutes, 48 seconds
My husband personally told me to tell unit 2 to pass along the message to every single person16 minutes, 56 seconds
to continue with the hunger strike, to continue with the labor strike, and for me to not give up on these detainees.17 minutes, 4 seconds
How much danger do you face?17 minutes, 10 seconds
I don't know personally, but I feel like I'm in a lot of danger because my name is out there everywhere.17 minutes, 19 seconds
Um, personally I am happy that I started17 minutes, 27 seconds
this to protect these people, but at the same time I also feel scared because17 minutes, 34 seconds
if they were capable of doing damage to a congresswoman,17 minutes, 43 seconds
Lica L Monica Macgyver facing criminal charges. a congresswoman. If they were capable enough to do harm to her,17 minutes, 52 seconds
me being just a nobody, what can they do to me or my husband?17 minutes, 59 seconds
Like, I'm scared for both of us. I'm scared for my kids. We heard Governor Cheryl mention Roxbury.18 minutes, 9 seconds
Um, can you explain what Roxbury is? Not Roxbury, Massachusetts, but Roxbury, New Jersey. Um, this was a warehouse that18 minutes, 19 seconds
was purchased by ICE for what? $130 million to warehouse people.18 minutes, 25 seconds
Yes, it it was uh at sale for 60. Uh, but then ICE paid $120 something million, like double uh the the price of18 minutes, 34 seconds
the
of what it was worth. Uh, so we already starting to see the red flags
under Christy Gnome who was fired by Trump, I believe. So, yes. Uh but
we're18 minutes, 42 seconds
starting
to see that that flag of like why are they uh throwing money at at
these uh places, these warehouses to convert them into detention centers
uh18 minutes, 52 seconds
when we are clearly seeing that it's it's a bad idea from from Delaney Hall, right? Uh what is very um concerning18 minutes, 58 seconds
about
Roxbury is that it's even bigger than Delaney Hall. Um the last
detention center that Delaney could house something like a,000 people,
right?19 minutes, 7 seconds
Yes. The new one would be able to house 1,500 like at minimum like very easily.19 minutes, 15 seconds
That was community organizer Leodorno with Moimeto Cosacea uh harvest movement and also Gabriella Sto. Gabriella has19 minutes, 24 seconds
been organizing outside the Delaney Hall immigration jail in New York, New Jersey while her husband Martin Sto was inside.19 minutes, 33 seconds
He participated in the ongoing hunger and labor strike, but was moved to the Elizabeth jail over the weekend.19 minutes, 40 seconds
Gabriella is a US citizen. She and Martine have two kids. She's also four months pregnant. Special thanks to Amber19 minutes, 47 seconds
Gaggarian and Julie Cohen. Thanks for watching Democracy Now on YouTube.19 minutes, 52 seconds
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