♪♪ >> From NJPBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Brianna Vannozzi.

>> Hello, and thanks for joining us tonight.

I'm Joanna Gagas.

Brianna Vannozzi is off.

Coming up, we get the latest on what's happening inside and outside of Delaney Hall.

Plus, we talk with Democratic candidate Rachel Peace, who's hoping to unseat longtime Republican Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th District.

But first, we get a check on how NJ Transit is handling the influx of World Cup riders.

What's next?

Funding for NJ Spotlight News, provided by the members of the New Jersey Education Association and RWJBarnabas Health.

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New Jersey will play host to a total of eight World Cup matches between this month and next.

We've already hosted three, and that's given the state and transit officials time to assess how it's all going and make adjustments as needed.

I'm joined now by Chris Calori, President and CEO of NJ Transit and Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Chris, great to have you on the show.

We're about a third of the way into the World Cup matches being played here at home.

How would you assess so far the performance of the train routes and of shuttling fans to and from the games?

Look, I think from the very beginning I've said our job is to collectively execute the plan we've been working on developing for over two and a half years.

And that's what we've tried to do.

And as problems arise, we've tried to pivot and address them.

And I think the fan experience has been good thus far.

But look, we have five more games to go, and we're going to focus on every game with the same level of seriousness, calmness, and execute the plan.

Monday's match impacted rush hour traffic for those coming home from work in that 3-7 p.m.

range.

What did you hear from commuters?

How did that go?

The good news is for all three games that we've had thus far, we were able to open Penn Station one hour early than we had originally planned, which is really good news for our ability to get the commuters back on our system as quickly as possible, which is what Governor Sherrill committed to, and that's what we've been able to do.

The other thing I would say is I can't thank the team that is working on this enough.

The entire New Jersey Transit Turnpike and DOT team, which have all contributed volunteers to this effort, have worked very hard at Penn Station, Secaucus, MetLife, and throughout the system to make sure commuters not only are up to date on what's happening, but also to get to where they need to get to safely and efficiently.

I know as you always do you've taken to social media to tout how NJ Transit is doing.

I saw on Monday I think 29,946 fans were moved to and from the game.

Is that the highest number of tickets sold so far?

Yeah, actually the number is 26,200 some odd people.

Yeah, that is the highest number of people doing World Cup finals.

I think we moved around 21,000 and change.

So in the game that we just did this week, we were able to essentially move almost 26,000 people in 65 minutes.

In fact, I got reports from people that they got from MetLife all the way to Penn Station in 35 minutes, which is what we really have been planning for.

And the fact that we were able to execute on that plan, both with buses and trains, is a testament to the staff.

But as I said, we don't celebrate, we just do our work.

It's that 26,000 number that I want to look at because I know you planned per game or I should say per match for 40,000 riders, no more than 40,000 to be specific.

Governor Cheryl has continually insisted this is not going to fall on the backs of New Jersey taxpayers.

There is a gap though between that 40,000 and that close to 26,000.

Does that mean a net revenue loss for NJ Transit of money you invested that we won't recoup?

Let me answer that question on the number very, very clearly.

We've always said we have a capacity of 40,000 people, but the fact that FIFA and American Dream essentially made a deal to take away almost 12,000 people from our system by entering into a parking deal before we even announced our mobility plan, tells a lot about sort of what happens when the supply that was promised never materializes.

Regardless, I said two things to the legislature that will hold true as far as the governor's commitment.

I said to the legislature when I testified regarding the Jersey Transit budget, for whatever reason, if we don't get to the 40,000 capacity that we were asked to get to in the mobility plan, it will not be on the legislature to come up with the money, nor will I ask the board or the governor for that matter for a surcharge on commuters to pay for it.

It is up to me to live within the budget to pay for all the services, including this one, and that's exactly what I'll do.

What is that revenue loss that you'll have to close?

What gap is that?

Well, we have five more games to go, and I think we're averaging between 22 and 25,000 tickets sold.

We don't know what's going to happen for the rest of the five games.

One thing I'll say to you is every game thus far has been very different, both from a fan experience standpoint and how we move, and of course, things like weather and other issues.

So I want to wait till the end of the FIFA games to determine what, if anything, that I have to make up.

But I want to reiterate in no uncertain terms, I will not ask the legislature for any more money, nor will I propose a surcharge on customers to pay for this, period, end of sentence.

-There is a news agency in South Jersey that is saying that New Jersey Transit wasted 25.8 million dollars planning and designing what was called the Secaucus Meadowlands Transitway project that never actually came to fruition in time for the games.

Can you speak to that?

Was that money invested that was wasted?

Explain that.

-I read that story and I'm as puzzled as all my colleagues here.

The Chicago's Metal and Transfer Transit Way not only was built, it is actually being used for these FIFA games and will be used long after the FIFA games.

So I'm not sure what that new story is.

Maybe they need to rely less on AI and more on real reporting like the ones on YouTube.

Okay, how about this one Amtrak and NJ Transit feuding over $300 million in projects.

Who's responsible?

Who needs to pay?

They say NJ Transit is not paying their fair share.

How do you respond?

I in fact that was as a result of a letter that Senator O'Scanlan and Assemblyman Flynn sent to Amtrak right before FIFA asking whether they are prepared and in Iyer Smith sent my own letter yesterday basically talking about how New Jersey Transit not only continues to pay 200 million dollars a year towards Amtrak both for capital as well as operating and maintenance of the Northeast Corridor but hundreds of millions of dollars to pay for infrastructure improvements.

There is one project that we're currently in negotiations.

I am fairly certain that we will come to a conclusion.

My only principle that I've always said is the one that I think the taxpayers of New Jersey expect.

What we will not do is provide a blank check to anyone and we expect all parties to work together to come to a conclusion on making investments to the infrastructure that is worthy of our taxpayers because literally we spend almost 200 million dollars a year giving money to Amtrak.

I want to say this I am the first one not only to be critical but also be fair when things go well.

Thus far Amtrak has held its end of the bargain for FIFA and to make sure that when challenges arise that they are making improvements to the system so it doesn't disrupt FIFA service.

I encourage them to continue doing it.

I encourage them to continue working in partnership with us to make sure we have a successful game and after the games to make sure our community experiences as good as they experienced the FIFA fans have had thus far.

And of course as you said there are still four more matches and the final to be played on July 19th.

Chris Calori, president and CEO of NJ Transit and of course executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Thank you for your time today.

Thank you so much.

Delaney Hall continues to be in the spotlight as detainees cite poor treatment and conditions inside the facility and protests outside have intensified over the last few months after reports of a hunger strike inside.

Advocacy groups now say the hunger strike is over.

DHS told us in a statement today there is no hunger strike and that during hunger strikes they continue to provide three meals and clean water each day.

Protesters on Father's Day held signs that read "Free the dads, close the camps."

During that demonstration on Sunday a woman was struck by a car reportedly driven by a Geo Group employee.

We reached out to Geo Group to confirm whether the driver was staffed but haven't yet heard back.

Daisy Calabia-Robertson has been there covering it all as a columnist for NJ.com and joins us now with updates from that incident and more.

Daisy, it's great to have you with us.

As we know, protests continued over the weekend, but then there was this shocking scene where a woman who was protesting was struck by a vehicle.

What we believe or what we've heard is possibly an employee of Geo Group who was driving that car.

to speak to this woman.

We're hearing that she's okay, but what can you tell us about her condition?

What can you tell us about what happened there?

Yeah, so I was able to speak with her yesterday at Delaney and, you know, she told me she's feeling fine.

She's in good spirits.

After the incident, one of her friends rushed her to the hospital where she was checked out.

And that same day, she actually returned to Delaney to continue protesting.

She told me, "I want people to know that they're not going to take me out so easily."

So despite the traumatic event that we all witnessed on social media, as well as the people who were present and saw it firsthand when it happened, she's still out there.

She's with her flag upside down in front of the detention center, and she's really making it a point to show up and to say, you know, even though this happened to me, I'm still here, and if I'm still here, you can be here too.

You know, she really was encouraging people to come out and to continue protesting.

Daisy, as journalists, one of the tough questions we always have to ask ourselves is when and how do we show video?

Understanding and seeing it for yourself allows people to put it in context for themselves.

So I'm going to just warn our viewers, this is difficult to watch, but we do have that video.

We are going to play it.

I just want to ask as we see the video, if you can explain what you've heard on the ground in terms of whether she was given warning to move out of the way, whether she knew that there were vehicles trying to enter the facility, she was in the middle of the driveway.

What do you know?

So she said she absolutely did not know and that the other people did not know a car was coming.

She said throughout the day other cars had entered and they had honked and you know protesters had moved out of the way, herself included, but that when this happened there kind of was no warning.

She really was you know shocked as anybody else that about what was happening.

She's like I couldn't believe it and really no warning, no honking, nothing of that sort.

Yeah, it is really disturbing when you see it, but also remarkable that she is okay.

Really all of this comes down to the disconnect between what we're hearing from DHS officials about what's going on inside and then what detainees are telling their family members in terms of conditions.

DHS continues to say there's never been a hunger strike.

I don't know that they've directly addressed a labor strike, but we hear that there's this ongoing hunger strike and labor strike that are finally now scaling back.

What can you tell us about what detainees inside are saying?

Well, what they're saying is we can't continue doing this because we're being retaliated against, right?

We're being put in solitary confinement.

We're not being allowed to get visits from our family members.

And also the fact that so many of the detainees who were a part of the hunger and labor strike have been transferred to other detention centers in other states.

And so that has really diminished just the amount of people who are at Delaney and who are able to even participate in this hunger and labor strike.

So because of all those reasons, you know, detainees, relatives of detainees, and advocates on the ground have been saying it's not sustainable anymore at this point for the people who remain to participate in a hunger and labor strike because they're being retaliated against.

And it just isn't, it's not sustainable anymore, unfortunately, for them.

And so that's the reality.

That's what people are sounding the alarm, saying like, when we try to refrain from eating, or we say we're not going to do this labor that they are demanding that we do, then what's waiting for us is more abuses.

And so for that reason, it was announced I believe yesterday that the hunger and labor strike is now over.

Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen denies all of that and says that detainees are actually treated better than they would be in US jails, that they're given food according to their cultural and religious needs, and some will say look these are people who entered the country illegally.

Why should they get any treatment or better treatment than one, those held in U.S.

prisons or two citizens who came here legally?

That's the argument.

What do advocates on the ground say?

>>> Advocates on the ground say these are human beings, you know, regardless of how they entered the country.

And, you know, a lot of people are asylum seekers, asylum seekers, because of law, they're legally allowed to enter the country however they can and make their asylum claims afterwards, right?

There's so many different situations and everyone's case and story is different, but at the end of the day, what they all have in common is that they're humans.

They're not illegals or what have you.

They are people.

And so advocates are saying like, this is what we have to keep in mind, that everyone deserves to be treated with humanity, with dignity, with respect, regardless of legal status.

Just a little bit of time left.

I don't know where this goes, because protesters say that they're not going to stop protesting until the facility is closed.

There's no indication from the federal government, even truthfully from state officials who had an oversight visit, whether it was partial or full, there really wasn't kind of that smoking gun to show that they're, the conditions that we're hearing about inside.

Do these protesters just stay on through the end of the Trump administration?

Doesn't look like this is going to close.

Yeah, I mean, I think so.

I think so.

I think they're holding strong.

I mean, even Alex, who was run over by a car, isn't going home.

More people are coming.

And I don't see this really just melting away.

I think that it's gonna keep going, and we're gonna keep seeing incidents like this, unfortunately.

I know something's gotta give.

I don't know what that something is or when it'll happen.

So we'll just have to keep monitoring the story and continue sharing the real accounts of people who are on the ground.

You're doing a great job doing that, Daisy Calavia Robertson, columnist with NJ.com.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

In a rare move of broad bipartisanship, Congress passed a housing bill this week that would speed up construction of new housing, limit the sale of single-family homes to landlords, and make changes to how disaster recovery aid gets allocated.

The bill directs disaster relief funding to lower-income households and provides the Department of Housing and Urban Development with an annual budget for that aid.

Now, President Trump was expected to sign the bill today, but canceled the event, saying he'd only sign it if Congress passes the Save America Act, which imposes strict requirements around voter eligibility.

Now the move comes as the midterms are approaching, both sides wanting a housing bill as a win.

It's a topic that's likely to come into play here in New Jersey, where several incumbents are facing challengers.

We have with us one candidate, Rachel Peace, a Democrat running against Republican incumbent Chris Smith, who's been serving in Congress for 45 years.

Peace joins Rachel, great to have you on the show.

You are running against one of the longest serving members of Congress.

Tell me why you believe you are the right person to represent Congressional District 4.

Thank you so much for having me.

And I'm the right person to represent Congressional District 4 because I was born and raised here.

I'm raising my son here.

And I'm just like the majority of residents here who are really struggling every single day just to get by at this point, which is something that Congressman Chris Smith is out of touch with and doesn't understand personally or seem to care about at this point.

One of your top priorities, as I see as one of your agenda items, is health care.

I'm curious what you believe the changes to our health care system here in the U.S.

should look like?

What would an ideal model be in your mind?

It's a great question and I think that a majority of Americans agree that health care needs to be a priority.

Go in the comments section on social media and all people are shouting is we just want health care and I'm not only listening to that I'm living that.

The way in which I even got involved in the political space in New Jersey Congressional District 4 was trying to stand up to save Medicaid, the subsidies for the health care insurance marketplace.

And unfortunately, Congress, Congressman Chris Smith voted for those cuts.

And so I think moving forward, when we have a new Congress in the fall, we need to not only claw back all of the money that was taken away from Americans, but we need to chart a new path forward.

And while Americans have been told for a really long time that everyone being able to see the doctor when they're sick is not possible and that there will be too many roadblocks, it's simply not the case.

Every developed nation in the world offers health care access to their residents and citizens.

We have the benefit of going last and therefore we can look at all of the systems around the world that have figured this out, take the best from each of them and build something that will actually make America healthy again.

I want to talk about housing.

We've seen this major development happen this week where Congress passed this bipartisan bill.

It reached the president's desk and today he canceled the signing of it.

He's tying it to the Save America Act.

But looking specifically at housing, which I know is another issue that's important to you, what did you like?

What do you like about this legislation?

Or what don't you like?

I think the thing is that Americans are tired.

I grew up here in New Jersey Congressional District 4.

My parents were able to buy a house for themselves and their four children for less than $200,000 in the 90s, and now houses across the street are going for a million dollars.

And that is the landscape that people are walking into.

So even if you're college educated, own a business, you may not be able to purchase a home.

I know that I can't do that, and I have a five-year-old son.

I would love to get him a yard.

I would love to set down roots here instead of constantly moving because rent is so expensive at the Jersey Shore.

So I think it's a really disappointing development that the President of the United States is refusing to sign this legislation that was bipartisan, that our senators such as Andy Kim have been fighting for on behalf of the constituents of this Jersey Shore.

And it's just a really disappointing development.

And what is it that you think needs to change when it comes to housing?

And again, what is it in the bill that you think could address the changes that are needed?

So housing is a really complex issue and it involves not only the municipal level, the state level, the federal level.

Some of the biggest challenges here at the Jersey Shore is if you're hoping to buy a home, it's really hard to get insurance, including flood insurance, because we are in such an at-risk area.

We also have LLCs that are coming in and buying up all of the starter homes and then renting them out or putting them on Airbnb and only allowing them to be seasonal.

So there was a lot of different provisions in this legislation that would have helped make purchasing a home something that was within reach for regular people such as myself here in New Jersey.

And there's further steps that we could be taking as well, looking at models that have been piloted elsewhere, like no down payment programs or very low down payment programs, expanding those to more people, increasing the income threshold to be aligned with the actual cost of living here in not only America but at the Jersey Shore.

So there's a lot of work to be done and I'm looking forward to doing that on behalf of my friends and neighbors.

I know that paid family leave and increasing child care for three and four year olds is something that's also important to you.

It happens to be something we already see happening here in New Jersey.

Do you think you could get bipartisan support to make moves in that space on a national level?

I absolutely do.

I think that look you look at 96% of the rest of the world and they already guarantee paid family leave which means if you are pregnant and you want to have a guarantee that your job will be there and that you'll have paid time off that's a given and it should be and it needs to be here as well.

We're seeing more and more regular people stepping up to run for Congress right now because they recognize that many of our legislators are out of touch and don't understand what the priorities for American families are and this is something that is not just about individual issues.

This is societal and economic.

When women aren't able to access the workforce because they're leaving in droves because of a lack of child care, when we see the child care crisis nationwide, with centers closing, with the high insurance rates, this is something that needs to be addressed holistically and at the systems level and is something that absolutely Congress should intervene and support families and the economy.

You would like to end Citizens United.

This is the United States Supreme Court decision that allows outside spending in elections, but a lot of candidates on both sides of the aisle take advantage of this.

Do you actually think that there is political will to end Citizens United and how would you go about doing it?

Yeah, so to end Citizens United, we would need an amendment, a constitutional amendment.

There hasn't been one since the 90s.

So the majority of my life and the lives of a lot of young voters who feel like the system is just absolutely corrupt and feel like on both sides of the aisle, people are more beholden to their donors and to dark money than they are to the people they're meant to represent.

And I do feel that there will be enough political will if enough candidates such as myself, who are grassroots, who are progressive, who are pushing the country forward, progress, that's what progressive means, get into office, and we can have that two thirds majority in order to pass constitutional amendments.

And while we're at it, we need to close the loophole in the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, which allows for people to perform labor for nothing or next to nothing as a form of punishment.

We need to end all forms of enslavement in the country.

All right.

We have to leave it there.

But Rachel Peace, Democratic candidate and Congressional District 4, thanks so much for your time today.

Thank you.

I appreciate being here.

That's going to do it for us tonight.

I'm Joanna Gaggis for the entire team here at NJ Spotlight News.

Thanks for being with us.

We'll see you right back here tomorrow.

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