How Detainee Labor Strikes Expose ICE's Hidden Weakness

On May 22, 2026, about 300 detainees at Delaney Hall in Newark refused to work and eat. ICE detention facilities rely on detainees—paid $1–$3 daily—to handle food, laundry, and maintenance. When that labor stops, operations collapse. This makes work strikes more effective than hunger strikes alone, targeting a system built on detainee compliance.