Staff Reports
White House border czar Tom Homan made plain what most of us expected: hunger strikes won’t undo the rule of law at Delaney Hall. After roughly 300 detainees at the Newark ICE facility staged a hunger and labor strike to protest alleged spoiled food, poor medical care and crowded conditions, Homan told a national audience that officials would not release people because of a protest. He also warned that if detainees’ health reached a life‑threatening stage, ICE would seek a court order to force‑feed them.
Homan’s message: hunger strikes “never work” — and force‑feeding is on the table
On live television the White House border czar didn’t mince words: “Hunger strikes never work,” he said, and added that if physicians determine detainees are in “extreme” medical danger, ICE will ask a court to authorize involuntary feeding. That is blunt and deliberate. Homan also used the moment to tout the push for more federally owned detention space so the feds aren’t constantly bowing to local politics or activist pressure at contractor-run sites like Delaney Hall.
What’s happening at Delaney Hall and who’s involved
The strike at Delaney Hall has become a flashpoint. Advocacy groups and families say about 300 detainees are refusing food and doing work stoppages to demand better care, quicker hearings, or release. Lawmakers with oversight responsibilities have toured the site and publicly condemned conditions. The facility reopened under an ICE contract and is operated by a private company, which only adds fuel to the fire when protesters and politicians want a scalp.
Medical ethics, legal fights, and the debate over force‑feeding
There’s a real tension here. International medical organizations and U.N. experts say forced feeding of competent hunger strikers can amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. And civil‑liberties groups will almost certainly sue if ICE moves to force‑feed. On the other hand, U.S. authorities have sought judicial permission for medical interventions before, and courts have sometimes approved them. That means any move to force‑feed will play out in hospitals and courtrooms, not just on cable TV.
So who’s right — Homan or the protesters? What should happen next
Homan is right to refuse to let a hunger strike set policy. If people think refusing food is a ticket out of detention, we’re inviting chaos. At the same time, the government must ensure detainees are treated humanely and that contract facilities meet clear standards. The sensible path is strict oversight, quick hearings, and — yes — more federal control of detention centers so rules are uniform and political grandstanding is minimized. Democrats and activists who cheer these strikes should stop pretending protest substitutes for policy. If we expect order at the border, we have to insist on both tough enforcement and basic, enforceable standards of care. That’s how you solve problems — not with sound bites, but with enforcement, oversight, and common sense.
