Sherrill Admits Delaney Hall Protests Drew Outside Agitators
What started as a protest over conditions at Delaney Hall in Newark has turned into something much bigger. The scene outside the ICE detention facility has turned into a loud, messy clash between competing political groups, with state officials now saying outside activists are helping drive the unrest.
The protest picked up steam after detainees wrote an open letter claiming they were being mistreated inside the center. They alleged physical and psychological abuse, along with bad food and a lack of medical care. The Department of Homeland Security pushed back fast, saying the claims did not match what was being served inside. Officials released menus showing detainees receive three meals a day, including items like chicken fajitas and Salisbury steak.
Tensions boiled over earlier in the week when federal agents were reportedly assaulted by agitators. After that, Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill ordered the New Jersey State Police to take over security. She said the move was needed to protect demonstrators from what she called an “ICE surge.”
By Saturday, the area around Delaney Hall looked more like a fortified zone than a protest site. Large orange plastic barriers and metal fencing surrounded the building. State officials also said much of the unrest was being fueled by people coming in from outside New Jersey. State Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said five of the six people arrested by state police this week were not from the state.
About 200 anti-ICE demonstrators gathered at the site Saturday, with many tied to far-left and socialist groups. They chanted, “Stop ICE Gestapo! Communist revolution!” and passed out literature with slogans such as “LONG LIVE COMMUNISM!” and “NO PAPERS, NO BORDERS, NO BOSSES.”
ICE supporters also showed up, including people who said they were with the Proud Boys. They carried pro-ICE flags and brought food and water for law enforcement. Their arrival quickly pushed the crowd higher on edge, and anti-ICE demonstrators rushed toward the barriers while shouting, “Proud Boys go home.”
At a news conference Saturday, Sherrill said ICE activity “creates an incredibly dangerous situation,” and she said she would not “back down in fighting the Trump administration and the threats they’ve made.” She also said “national extremist groups” had moved into the protests and warned out-of-state agitators that they were making things worse.
“You’re not helping detainee families, and you’re certainly not keeping New Jersey safe today,” the governor said. “Going forward, I urge those protesting outside of Delaney Hall to bring the temperature down so we can focus on the detainees and their families. Comply with the lawful orders from local and state law enforcement and let advocates, faith leaders and members of this community continue their work here in America.”
Sherrill also said state health inspectors were recently blocked from viewing anything except the facility’s kitchen. She called on the Department of Homeland Security to stop pressuring detainees into signing deportation documents.