Solitary confinement in New Jersey's immigration detention centers has been used too often and resulted in harm to immigrant's health and violates the right to due process, according to a new report titled "23 Hours in the Box, Solitary Confinement in New Jersey Immigration Detention," released Wednesday by New Jersey Advocates for Immigrant Detainees.

The report authors investigated solitary confinement use in New Jersey detention centers by examining hundreds of documents provided by Bergen and Hudson counties and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Investigators discovered that mentally ill immigrants are often placed in solitary confinement rather than being treated, and it is not just happening in New Jersey. In May, Mexican immigrant José de Jesús Deniz-Sahagún committed suicide after being placed in solitary confinement for days at the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. He allegedly suffered from a mental illness.

Many immigration detainees in solitary confinement have limited outdoor recreation, reading material and access to legal counsel, reports the National Immigrant Justice Center.

New Jersey immigrants often end up in county jails for the course of their detention. Investigators found that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency within the DHS, has failed to hold detention centers and jails accountable for the unnecessary use of solitary confinement.

"Using solitary confinement on immigrant detainees is an additional affront to the human dignity of people which the state has no legitimate interest in incarcerating. Further after reading the report one can only conclude that the county jails are engaging in torture which is an intrinsic evil," said Kathy O'Leary Region Coordinator for Pax Christi New Jersey, a Catholic peace and justice organization.

Immigrant detainees are held on civil violation of immigration laws. The purpose of immigration detention has been to ensure that they appear for court hearings and comply with orders issued by an immigration judge. Immigrants should not be subjected to punitive and long-term solitary confinement or denied meaningful avenues of appeal, according to the report.

New Jersey Advocates for Immigrant Detainees recommends that solitary confinement of immigrants be abolished or limited. Mental health screenings are also suggested.

The report has garnered the support of New Jersey lawmakers. Sen. Peter J. Barnes III, D-Middlesex, is a prime sponsor of legislation to reform solitary confinement. Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin, D-Middlesex, has sponsored a version of legislation to reform solitary confinement as well.

New Jersey Advocates for Immigrant Detainees is a coalition of community groups that support immigration and detention reform.