FBI captures two escapees from New Jersey detention center

In June 2025, two out of four detainees escaped from the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, marking a serious security breach. The detainees had reportedly broken through an interior wall that led to an exterior wall during reports of disorder at the facility. Authorities noted that the escape was facilitated by conditions within the center, as detainees expressed grievances over food and living conditions, prompting unrest. Following their escape, the FBI launched a manhunt and announced a reward for information leading to the capture of the remaining detainees. Two detainees, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, were recaptured shortly after the escape. However, Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Andres Felipe Pineda-Mogollon remained at large. Sandoval-Lopez and Castaneda-Lozada were previously charged with multiple crimes, reflecting a troubling trend among detainees at the facility and raising questions about the management and safety standards of the center. The circumstances surrounding their escape have triggered criticism from local officials and advocates who have long challenged the detention center's oversight and treatment of detainees. Officials continue to investigate how the escape occurred, focusing on potential vulnerabilities in the facility's construction and operational protocols. This incident highlights ongoing debates over immigration detention practices in the U.S., specifically concerns about detainee treatment and facilities' security levels, reflecting broader tensions around immigration enforcement policies.