Newark, New Jersey: The sprawling network of private immigration detention is not just stripping people of their liberty; it is actively profiting from their forced labor and devastating their families. The case of Martín Soto, a New Jersey resident with no criminal record, exposes the darkest corners of this system—from illegal corporate labor practices to profound personal tragedy.
The Corporate Crime and the U-Visa
Martín Soto was apprehended by ICE while buying diapers for his children in Kearny, New Jersey. He was initially detained at Delaney Hall, a facility operated by the private, for-profit prison corporation GEO Group.
While inside Delaney Hall, Soto became the victim of a crime perpetrated by the facility operators. GEO Group engaged in illegal and exploitative labor practices, coercing detained individuals to clean, cook, and do laundry for the facility in exchange for $1 a day—or in many cases, zero compensation. Because Soto was the victim of a crime committed by a U.S. entity, he is legally entitled to apply for a U-Visa, a specific immigration protection designed for crime victims who assist law enforcement.
Legal Limbo and the State’s Bottleneck
The federal judge handling the broader GEO Group exploitation case, Jamal Semper, has frozen all related dockets. This means Soto cannot be released or deported until the GEO Group litigation is settled—unless his U-Visa is officially signed.
The bottleneck is currently sitting on the desk of New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Soto’s U-Visa application has been awaiting her signature for over a month. Until she signs off on the document, Soto’s attorney cannot forward it to Judge Semper to secure his immediate release.
Solitary Confinement and Unimaginable Loss
While awaiting this basic bureaucratic signature, the punitive nature of the system escalated. Soto was transferred from Delaney Hall to the Elizabeth Detention Center (operated by CoreCivic) and placed into solitary confinement for nearly three months.
During this prolonged period of isolation and extreme state-manufactured stress, his wife, Gabriela Soto—who has been tirelessly advocating for his release on the outside—suffered a miscarriage. She attributes the loss of her pregnancy directly to the corruption, trauma, and psychological torture inflicted by the immigration enforcement system, referring to it as an “ICE murder.”
Action Tutorial: How to Demand the Release of Martín Soto
Gabriela Soto has issued a direct call to action for the public to pressure the New Jersey Attorney General’s office. Here is the step-by-step guide to submitting a constituent demand.
Option 1: Phone Call If you wish to speak to a representative, contact the Office of Constituent Services by calling 609-984-5828.
Option 2: Email Submission Portal
Navigate to the official NJ OAG Constituent Services portal: https://www.njoag.gov/contact/office-of-constituent-services/
Fill out your standard contact information (Name, Address, Email) in the provided fields.
In the Subject line, copy and paste the following exactly:
Martín Soto's U-Visa ApplicationIn the Message box, copy and paste the following script provided by the family:
“I am respectfully requesting that the Attorney General signs Martín Soto’s U-Visa immediately so his federal judge can grant his release and he can return home to his family where he belongs.
A whole community is awaiting for his return, to be exact 12,304 members have signed an online petition requesting his release. Link below: bit.ly/FreeMartinSoto
Martín has applied for the U-Visa due to the unfair and illegal policy run by GEO Group for paying detainees $1 a day or even not paying detainees at all for their labor inside Delaney Hall. As a tax payer in the state of NJ I do not wish to have my tax dollars paying private owned facilities who mistreat our own neighbors. New Jersey leaders give me confidence in knowing that there will be a full investigation into the exploitative labor practices of GEO Group.”
Citations & Source Links:
Constituent Contact Portal: NJ Office of the Attorney General
Public Petition: Free Martín Soto Petition
