Democrats Want to Close the Detention Center Housing Murderers and Child Predators

Here’s what’s happening in Newark right now. Immigration and Customs Enforcement just released a list of illegal aliens they’ve arrested across New Jersey, and the rap sheets read like a prosecutor’s nightmare. We’re talking convicted murderers, child sex offenders, drug traffickers. Meanwhile, Democratic senators and representatives are outside Delaney Hall demanding the detention center be shut down because protesters claim there’s a hunger strike and inhumane conditions inside.

Let that sink in for a moment. The same facility these politicians want closed is housing people convicted of homicide, aggravated assault, and crimes against children. The Department of Homeland Security’s Lauren Bissay put it plainly when she said Democrats “should be thanking ICE law enforcement for removing murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and drug traffickers from their communities.” It’s not often you see such a stark disconnect between political theater and public safety reality.

Senator Cory Booker, Senator Andy Kim, and Representative LaMonica McIver have all joined the chorus calling for closure. The “Abolish ICE” crowd has gathered again, waving signs and making demands. But look at who’s actually inside these facilities. Jose De La O Lainez from El Salvador, arrested in Plainfield, convicted of homicide. Steven McKenzie from Jamaica, with convictions for homicide, aggravated assault, and robbery. Juan Vazquez Reyes from Mexico, also convicted of homicide. These aren’t people caught working without papers or overstaying visas. These are violent criminals who’ve already been through our justice system and found guilty.

The child predators on this list should make every parent’s blood run cold. Jhan Martinez-Valverde from Peru committed sex offenses against a child. Sergio Marques Abrantes from Portugal was convicted of enticing a minor for indecent purposes. Antonio Gutierrez-Arroyo from Mexico has sexual assault on his record. Where exactly do the protesters think these individuals should go if not a detention facility? Back into New Jersey neighborhoods? It’s a question nobody seems willing to answer publicly.

Then there’s the drug trafficking angle, which connects to the fentanyl crisis killing Americans every single day. Samuel Santiago-Gomez from Spain was convicted of selling cocaine and aggravated assault. Miguel Gonzalez from the Dominican Republic has drug trafficking convictions alongside weapons charges. Jonathan Sepulveda-Lara, also from the Dominican Republic, trafficked drugs, sold opium and heroin, and committed identity theft and robbery. These aren’t minor offenses. They represent organized criminal activity that destroys communities from the inside out.

You know what strikes me about this whole situation? The complete inversion of priorities. We’ve reached a point where elected officials feel more pressure to appear compassionate toward convicted criminals than to protect their own constituents. That’s not governance. That’s performance art with real consequences. When politicians grandstand about closing detention facilities without addressing what happens to the dangerous individuals inside, they’re essentially saying your safety matters less than their progressive credentials.

The list goes on. Rudy Chavez from Guatemala convicted of both homicide and drug trafficking. Glenroy Lewis from Jamaica with robbery, weapons possession, and multiple assault charges. Luis Castaneda-Reyes from Colombia carrying convictions for weapons offenses, burglary, and robbery. These are the people ICE agents are working to keep off the streets while politicians work just as hard to undermine them.

This isn’t about immigration philosophy or border policy in the abstract. This is about convicted violent criminals who entered the country illegally and then committed serious crimes on American soil. There’s a reasonable debate to be had about immigration reform, about pathways and enforcement and resources. But that debate becomes impossible when we can’t even agree that murderers and child predators should be detained. If we’ve lost that basic consensus, we’ve lost something essential about what government is supposed to do. Protect people first. Everything else comes after.