Nuns and faith groups provide aid to families at New Jersey detention center amid ICE protests
Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace and other volunteers run a hospitality tent at Delaney Hall in Newark to support families of detained immigrants while ICE and pro-ICE demonstrators gather outside.
Delaney Hall Detention Centre in Newark houses roughly 800 immigrants, many separated from U.S.-born children, amid a backdrop of industrial noise and protest chants. A "radical hospitality tent" staffed by Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace and other faith volunteers provides meals, toys and emotional support to families visiting the facility. Sister Donna Dodge observed armed ICE officers and was unsettled by pro-ICE demonstrators waving flags that featured images of Minnesota shooting victims.
Sister Susan Francois highlighted the harsh treatment of a man confined for five months because he needed crutches, and a terminal lung-cancer patient denied release. The nuns link their on-site aid to a wider campaign against the Trump administration’s immigration stance, recalling past civil-rights actions and recent "NO KINGS" rallies. As the Sisters of Charity prepare to close their New York convent due to an aging membership, they plan to transfer ministries to lay partners while keeping immigrant advocacy central to their legacy. The story was featured on Compass’s "Holy Trouble" program.
Why it matters
It shows how faith groups are directly assisting families affected by U.S. immigration enforcement and protesting related policies.
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