By Thad Baltimore
PLAINFIELD, N.J. – June 2026 – This past Ramadan, we were blessed with the most melodic recitation of the Holy Qur’an during our nightly Taraweeh prayers at Masjidullah in Plainfield, delivered to us by Omar Diakhite.
After a long day of fasting, Omar’s beautiful recitation of Qur’an each night focused our minds and touched all of us emotionally.
Omar is a Hafiz of Qur’an. For non-Muslim readers, the term Hafiz literally means “protector, guardian, or to preserve by retaining in memory”.
Delaney Hall, Newark, NJ
The title of Hafiz is given to a person who has memorized the entire Qur’an, thus becoming a living guardian of the Muslim holy text, keeping it safe from being lost, altered, or forgotten. It is a highly respected title requiring years of study and commitment to achieve.
Bro. Omar, who is a Senegalese immigrant, went for what was supposed to be a routine immigration hearing on April 30, 2026, in response to a letter he received from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At the appearance, he was detained by ICE agents.
Omar, who maintains that he did not receive a previously sent letter from ICE, was treated like a common criminal as agents handcuffed, shackled his feet, and scurried him off to Delaney Hall, an ICE detention center located on Doremus Avenue in Newark, N.J.
To be clear, although I am using euphemisms such as “detained” and “detention center”, Omar has been imprisoned by ICE and locked up in what is actually a concentration camp called Delaney Hall.
On a mild and sunny Tuesday, which is one of the days that Omar can have visitors, I was part of a “visitor delegation” led by Imam Khalil Aziz of Masjidullah in Plainfield, and included Omar’s co-workers, Brothers H. Najee Ali and Abdul Haleem.
The privately operated Delaney Hall is infamous for its inhumane conditions. It is the site where Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested by federal agents while protesting the opening of the ICE detention facility back on May 9, 2025.
Detainees inside Delaney Hall have regularly complained of low-quality food and lack of proper medical care since the facility’s reopening last year.
Visitation rules at Delaney Hall are stringent and seem designed to discourage families from visiting detainees. Only four people are allowed to visit at a time. Visitors are only allowed to carry an identification card and a credit card for use in snack food vending machines during visits.
All other personal effects, such as keys and wallets, have to be stored in a locker; it is advised to bring your own combination lock for the lockers or your items might “turn up” missing.
There’s also a dress code, which is difficult to prepare for. Guidelines on how visitors should dress are not included on the visitation schedules, nor are they printed on any signage at the facility. We were unaware that you could not wear blue colored shirts, as this was told to us at the Delaney Hall front gate – by guards who happen to wear blue shirts as part of their uniforms.
Imam Khalil actually had to borrow a shirt from one of the family volunteers outside the facility who provide services for visiting families. Later, I learned that sandals and open-toe shoes also are not allowed.
Delaney Hall is run by the GEO Group, Inc., the largest prison operator in the United States. In 2025, GEO was awarded a 15-year, fixed-price contract by ICE to provide support services for the 1,000-bed Delaney Hall Facility.
The support services contract is expected to generate in excess of $60 million in annualized revenues for GEO, a factor adding speculation that the facility is driven by profits and minimized operational costs at Delaney Hall.
Once inside, the facility’s poor condition is glaring. We waited in the most uncomfortable waiting area before being allowed to see our brother Omar. The waiting area was mostly a standing-room-only area, lacking enough chairs to accommodate the large number of visitors.
People had to stand and wait for over an hour to see detained family members. There also were no restrooms inside the waiting area, only portable toilets placed outside of the waiting area.
While waiting in the overcrowded waiting area to see Omar, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the number of traumatized and broken families caused by the draconian immigration enforcement of the current administration. It was a very depressing experience.
For the most part, the detainees are hardworking people simply trying to provide a living for their families. Omar had obtained “Working Papers” and was in the process of getting a Driver’s License.
He has a wife and two children, who are dependent on his modest electrician’s assistant income.
During the visit, Bro. Omar was apparently in good spirits and in good physical condition. However, I noticed that the smiling face we had become accustomed to would readily give way to a look of sadness and despair.
We inquired of him about the conditions within the facility. He said the food was not good and that there were periodic fights between detainees. One may surmise the fights are expected, considering the oppressive circumstances of being incarcerated in a place like Delaney Hall.
Bro. Omar said the worst part of his detention so far has been the experience of being handcuffed and shackled. Imam Khalil reminded him of the story of Prophet Yusef (AS) (Joseph), who was wrongfully incarcerated also but remained patient and steadfast until Allah saw fit to release him from prison.
Since Fri., May 22, 2026, detainees at Delaney Hall have been on a hunger and labor strike in protest of the facility’s inhumane conditions. At the time of this writing, Omar is not participating in the hunger strike, although he does fast periodically for religious reasons.
Omar had one bail hearing on May 19, 2026, in which bail was denied based on a claim of asylum, which the judge requested time to investigate.
In mid-June, Omar had two additional hearings that addressed his request for bail and the claim of asylum. Unfortunately, the request for bail and the asylum claim were both denied, and he now has 30 days to appeal the bail denial.
We have obtained legal representation for Omar, and an appeal is in process. Filing of the appeal will block any deportation action. However, Omar can be deported at any time before the appeal.
At Masjidullah, we have begun collecting funds to cover legal fees and to secure a bail bond in the event the bail appeal is successful. All donations are welcome as we hope to prevent them from deporting Omar and to have him released from detention as soon as possible.
Financial help is needed and can be sent as donations via Zelle to: Plainfieldmasjidullah@gmail.com.
Please indicate that your donation is for the “Defense of Brother Omar Diakhite.” You can also contact Masjidullah at 908-561-6797 for updates on Omar’s case.
Let’s all make duas for our brother.
