Dems in Hudson County, NJ, are meeting NOW & appear ready to renew an ICE contract to detain immigrants for as long as 10 yrs. 75-plus people plan to speak, likely almost all against the contract. In 2018, same freeholders voted to end contract by 2020.1/ https://zoom.us/j/91553925879 

Dem Executive @TomDeGise's spokesman said the county needs the money from the contract to balance its budget. But he could not provide any financial analysis. They're paid $120/day/immigrant by ICE, but it's unclear what the profit is. But even though money is stated reason...2/

... @TomDeGise's office sent a memo today to some freeholders with list of alleged crimes that immigrants at the jail committed. This is misleading, in that they are not held on crimes at the jail -- they already served time for any crimes. They're there fighting deportation. 3/

This is also a page out of ICE's playbook under Trump Administration, which sends press releases like this all the time. I have long sought information about detainees at the jail, but county says it doesn't have it. So this indicates that ICE is helping Dems keep the contract.4/

Attorney @s_phia_: "I've received calls about people being locked in their cells for 23 ½ hours a day...cells that have feces on the wall...They have literally starved themselves to get you to pay attention…If someone dies on your watch...their deaths will be on your hands." 5/

Attorneys from New York Family Unity Project, which represent most detainees here, opposed ending the contract in 2018, but are now not taking a position. @s_phia_ -- in the comments above -- was speaking as a member of her union, and not representing NYFUP. 6/

New York *Immigrant Family Unity Project opposed ending the contract two years ago out of concern that their clients could be shipped far away from lawyers & family. Dems who want to keep contract are relying on this argument today.
*-missed "immigrant" in prior tweet 7/

"History will remember you as monsters," resident Michael Watson just told the freeholders. There's a lot of talk about legacy, history, morality, complicity. So far no one has spoken for keeping the contract. 8/

I've asked the top 3 Democrats in the state about whether they think New Jersey -- a "sanctuary state" -- should keep the ICE detention contract...
Spokesmen for @GovMurphy @CoryBooker & @SenatorMenendez didn't answer my emails. 9/

I've been listening to this meeting for 3 1/2 hours and 0 people have spoken in favor of this contract...close to 100 have spoken against it...but it appears the freeholders will still vote in favor of renewing the ICE contract. 10/

. @Das_Alina, co-director of immigrant rights clinic at NYU Law, says more ICE jails in NY/NJ means more immigrants arrested: "Holding open these beds is simply an invitation to ICE to fill up the beds and justify their detention budgets." 11/

"I wonder if you lose sleep about children separated from their family members. I do. I hope you do. It’s wrong for Hudson County to make money from such an inhumane practice. This is blood money that Hudson County is making from this contract."- Paula Rogovin 12/

An ICE contract opponent is now playing a song called "Big Love" from the Black Eyed Peas. I've been covering New Jersey meetings for...ever...never heard a song before! I believe this is the one she's playing: 13/

Entering the 7th hour. Only people to speak in support of ICE contract so far are the Democratic freeholders. One freeholder just said 99% of the opponents read their statements and didn't speak from the heart -- but this is by Zoom without video, so not sure how he knew that.14/

A DACA recipient began by complaining about the meeting time -- which began at 1 pm on a weekday -- before a freeholder laughed and said that it was 7:00 so what's the problem. She then paused, broke down in tears, and continued her statement with considerable passion. 15/

We're at the cutting-the-freeholders-down-to-size phase of the meeting. "The fact is that no one knows who you are, or what you do," said ICE opponent Patrick Toussaint.
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Of course in New Jersey, unknown Dems can repeatedly win reelections because of county Dem machines. 16/

This is now the longest meeting of any New Jersey governing body I've ever attended, and I've attended many. Approaching Hour 10. And yet...NOT A SINGLE PERSON HAS SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THE ICE CONTRACT. Except for the Democratic freeholders. Amazing. 17/

"It's so frustrating that you don't want to be informed...I don't think you're evil people but I don't understand you...And so many of you are Catholic!...How can you think it's okay to leave people in a jail for money!...How can you go along with this?" - @PaxChristiNJ 18/

Freeholder @WilliamBillOdea calls the fact that they're voting on a contract for a duration of 10 years as "ludicrous." He now motions to carry the item to another meeting, to negotiate further. Doesn't get a 2nd! 19/

And anti-ICE contract Freeholder @WilliamBillOdea just said pro-ICE contract Freeholder Al Cifelli is "Pontius Pilate." 20/

"I don't think when it comes to a civil rights issue that dollars really matter," Freeholder @WilliamBillOdea says. He thinks if Hudson cancels the contract, then Essex and Bergen counties would follow & end their ICE detention. “This is a movement. Make no mistake about it."21/

Not all freeholders seem to understand that the detained are held for immigration violations, not crimes. Freeholder Caridad Rodriguez, an immigrant from Cuba, framed it as a law-and-order issue:“Safety for me & my family is my priority,” she said. She votes for the contract.22/

And that's it. Hudson County will continue detaining immigrants from NYC--and perhaps New Jersey--for another 10 years. $120/immigrant/day. After a 10-hour meeting, with zero residents supporting the contract, the all-Democratic board of voting freeholders votes to approve. 23/

Meeting moves onto other business, so a member of the public just got on to speak about a parking spot ordinance and told the freeholders to "GO TO HELL."
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Final vote to keep the ICE contract was 5-3. 24/