Detainee visitors have reported frequent dress code violations by guards, with clothing deemed too provocative for toddlers—an 11‑month‑old’s onesie and a four‑year‑old’s leggings are cited as examples.

Gabriela Soto’s husband is detained at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, creating ongoing stress and significant legal costs for asylum cases she is pursuing for family reunification.

DHS and ICE have given varying statements on the situation, with DHS denying a hunger strike and asserting health inspectors have access; Geo Group defers inquiries to ICE.

Advocates compare Delaney Hall’s rules to strict school uniform policies or punitive measures aimed at pressuring detainees toward voluntary departure, fueling claims of inhumane conditions.

Footwear like Crocs are repeatedly rejected; volunteers collect and lend clothing from bins outside the facility, as discarded mismatched footwear piles up.

Overall, the reporting depicts a pattern of arbitrary enforcement and administrative stress surrounding family visits, worsening trauma for relatives separated from detainees.

Protests and legal actions have drawn national attention to Delaney Hall, including hunger strikes and a New Jersey state lawsuit against Geo Group over sanitary conditions and tuberculosis control concerns.

Anecdotes show inconsistent enforcement, with guards contradicting each other about what’s allowed and visits being denied or confiscated when bringing drawings or notes.

Volunteer groups, including EyesOnIce, distribute free clothing to visitors outside the facility to mitigate dress-code rejections and enable visitation.

The facility enforces a strict, evolving dress code for visitors 12 and older, banning form-fitting or revealing clothing and open-toed shoes; concerns are raised that younger children are affected despite policy wording.