ICE Deports 54 Immigrants From New Jersey

Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed 54 immigrants -- an extraordinarily high number -- from the Essex County Correctional Facility Tuesday for deportation. The jail is the largest facility in the region that contracts with ICE to hold immigrants awaiting hearings or deportations. The population fluctuates from day to day, but it's unusual to see 54 immigrants removed at once. ICE said five were immediately deported while 49 were taking to staging areas to prepare for deportation.

Advocates say that many were New Jersey residents susceptible to deportation because they lacked attorneys. New Jersey has a much smaller budget for legal resources for detained immigrants than New York does.