Three Caught, One Still at Large After Daring Newark ICE Facility Escape

In a dramatic turn of events in Newark, New Jersey, three of four illegal immigrants who staged a daring escape from Delaney Hall, a privately run ICE detention facility, on June 12 have been apprehended by authorities. Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada are back in custody, but Andres Felipe Pineda-Mogollon, a Colombian national, remains on the loose, prompting the FBI to offer a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

The breakout, described by the Department of Homeland Security as involving 'public safety threats,' reportedly stemmed from unrest over delayed meals, with around 50 detainees allegedly tearing down a dormitory wall. While DHS denies widespread chaos, the incident raises questions about conditions at the facility and the broader immigration detention system. The escapees, all with prior arrests for crimes ranging from larceny to aggravated assault, highlight the complex interplay of immigration policy and public safety.

Pineda-Mogollon, last known to reside in Newark with ties to Queens, New York, entered the U.S. in 2023 and overstayed his tourist visa. His criminal record includes burglary and larceny charges, making his continued evasion a pressing concern. The captured trio, all Honduran nationals, had entered the U.S. illegally between 2019 and 2022, each with their own rap sheets, from terroristic threats to unlawful handgun possession.

This incident isn’t just a story of a jailbreak; it’s a snapshot of the tensions simmering in detention facilities and the challenges of balancing enforcement with humane treatment. As the manhunt for Pineda-Mogollon continues, the public is left wondering: how many more walls—literal or figurative—need to come down before the system finds equilibrium?