North Jersey: Air conditioning repairs at Bergen County Jail continue as region braces for more hot days

“The continued air conditioning issues at the facility, which houses federal immigration detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have sparked outcry from some attorneys and immigration activists.

The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, and the Bronx Defenders, organizations that provide free legal representation through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, said they have heard multiple complaints about the lack of air conditioning in certain cellblocks and that the facility continues to struggle to ensure that their clients are safe.

“To make matters worse, we have yet to receive any further update from jail officials concerning HVAC system repairs or an updated restoration timeline,” they said in a joint statement. “Given the jail’s troubling track record on health, humanitarian, and other issues, we fear for our clients — especially as temperatures rise to this summer’s local record highs.”

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